The oil spill has been spotted within the vicinity waters of Barangay San Agapito in Verde Island, Batangas on Monday morning, March 20, 2024. (Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard.)
MANILA, Philippines — The traces of oil spill in the waters of marine diversity-rich Verde Island in Batangas are almost gone, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Tuesday.
PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said this was observed by their air surveillance on the area.
“Kahapon, may report po at kumpirmadong report, na umabot na sa Verde Island itong oil spill. Pero ito’y kagyat namang inaksyunan ng ating mga tauhan sa Batangas,” Balilo said over Teleradyo.
(Yesterday, we had a confirmed report that the oil spill reached Verde Island, but it was immediately acted upon by our personnel in Batangas.)
“Pero kahapon din po nag-surveillance kami — air surveillance — halos wala na din pong makita doon sa taas. Ibig sabihin offshore, malinis na po ang dagat, maging ang vicinity.
(But yesterday, based on our air surveillance, there are almost no traces of oil spill from above. The sea and the vicinity waters are clear.)
READ: Oil spill reaches Verde Island, Batangas
Balilo, however, said PCG personnel are still conducting clearing operations in Barangay San Agapito, San Agustin and San Antonio.
“Ang pinagkakaabalahan na linisin na lang, ay yung tumagas doon sa tatlong barangay ng Verde Island,” Balilo said.
(The personnel are just working on cleaning the leaked oil in three Barangays in Verde Island.)
PCG-Batangas station commander Captain Victorino Acosta said as of Monday, more or less 230 liters of “oily mixture” were collected in three barangays.
Oil spill ensued after MT Princess Empress, which carried 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, sank on February 28 in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro after having engine trouble due to rough sea condition.