What Went Before: Oil spills in PH
An oil spill caused the spread of a large reddish stain over Manila Bay, posing potential health and environmental hazards, authorities say. AFP/Philippine Coast Guard
MANILA, Philippines—In August 2006, the oil tanker MT Solar I sank off Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, while carrying 2 million liters of bunker fuel for Petron Corp.
Solar I, owned by Sunshine Maritime Development Corp. and chartered by Petron, was on its way to Zamboanga City from Bataan when it was overcome by strong waves and sank.
It is considered one of the country’s worst maritime environmental disasters, as it damaged the province’s marine resources and severely affected its tourism industry and economy.
Other similar spills have threatened other parts of the country in the past.
In September 1998, the MV Princess of the Orient was carrying around 600,000 liters of bunker oil and 11,000 liters of lubricating oil when it sank off Batangas and caused a massive oil spill in Manila Bay.
A few months later, in March 1999, another oil spill hit Manila Bay when the tanker MT Sea Brothers sank in the bay while carrying 420,000 liters of bunker oil.
In January 2000, the Singaporean cargo ship MV Nol Schedar ran aground while entering Lingayen Gulf, causing an oil spill that destroyed some 2,700 square meters of coral reefs and fish ponds in Pangasinan.
In December 2005, an oil barge of the National Power Corp. sank off the shore of Semirara in Antique, spilling almost 200,000 liters of oil and contaminating about 40 square kilometers of water off Semirara. The Philippine Coast Guard’s estimated cleanup costs P80 million.
In February last year, some 10,000 liters of automotive diesel leaked from a fuel pipeline while the tanker MT Panglao Island was off-loading to the Chevron bulk plant, causing an 800-meter long and 100-meter wide oil spill off La Union. The spill was not contained until several days later. Inquirer Research
Source: Inquirer Archives
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