DOT: Mindoro oil spill affects protected areas, resorts, cruise tourism

OILY WATERS A crew of the Philippine Coast Guard collects water samples from an oil spill in the waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. —PHOTO COURTESY OF PCG

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday said that the effects of the oil spill in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, has already reached nearby provinces, affecting marine areas and even tourism.

“Anent this, the DOT notes with seriousness the oil spill incident and its grave impact on the tourism industry, including disruptions in the livelihood of the affected communities, tourism-dependent businesses, and recreational activities,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco in a statement.

“Scuba diving, beach, and cruise tourism depend on the region’s coastal resources, and are also its major tourism products. If unmitigated, the oil spill can adversely impact three world-class dive destinations in the Philippines, specifically the Verde Island passage and Apo Reef in Mindoro, and Coron’s World War II Wrecks and Philippine Dugong,” she added.

The oil spill was from the sunken ship MT Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 liters of industrialized fuel oil. Previously, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources warned that the oil spill might impact up to 21 locally managed marine protected areas.

Meanwhile, according to Frasco, the oil spill has already affected several Marine Protected Areas in the Municipality of Pola in Oriental Mindoro, including KingFisher Reserve, St. John the Baptist Marine Sanctuary, Song of the Sea Fish Sanctuary, Stella Mariz Fish Sanctuary, Bacawan Fish Sanctuary, St. Peter the Rock Fish Sanctuary, and the San Isidro Labrador Fish Sanctuary.

Several beach resorts have also been affected, such as Bihiya Beach, 3 Cottage, Long Beach K. I, Aguada Beach Resort, Oloroso Beach Resort, Munting Buhangin Tagumpay Beach Resort, and Buhay na Tubig White Beach Resort in Oriental Mindoro.

Effects of the oil spill have also reached the Municipality of Caluya in the Province of Antique, along the shorelines of Sitio Sabang, Barangay Tinogbo, Liwagao Island, Barangay Sibolo, and Sitio Tambak in Barangay Semirara, however, none of the tourist attractions in these areas have so far been affected.

Cruise tourism, said Frasco, could also be affected as 34 cruise ships are expected to call at Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, and Palawan for 2023.

With this, local government units and the Philippine Coast Guard have begun conducting clean-ups, with support from the private sector. Coastal clean-up is now also being done in the affected areas as an immediate solution to prevent further damage.

Boracay Island in the Municipality of Malay, Aklan, has also started preparing for the possibility of the oil spill’s effects reaching its jurisdiction area.

Frasco said the PCG and the Malay Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) are continuously conducting roving and monitoring along the coasts of Boracay and have prepositioned oil slick booms in strategic areas around the island in anticipation of the oil spills.

“The DOT, in coordination with its regional offices, commits to continuously coordinate with agencies such as the DENR, EMB, PCG, and concerned LGUs on any update concerning the oil spill, and in searching for urgent mitigating measures to address the harmful effects of the incident to marine life, world-class dive sites, and tourist attractions,” the tourism chief assured.

Meanwhile, the DOT reported that none of the tourist attractions in the municipalities of Naujan, Victoria, and Pinamalayan in Oriental Mindoro had been affected so far by the oil spill. The Naujan Lake, a major tourist attraction, has no connection with the ocean and will not be affected by the oil spill.

The DOT is also in close coordination with officers of the Tubbataha Management Office, monitoring the situation in Tubbataha Reef, which is along the Municipality of Cagayancillo in Palawan.

Based on the latest update from the Tubbataha Management Office, there are no reported effects of the oil spill in the area yet.

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JPV/abc