Oriental Mindoro oil spill affects nearly 173,000 people — NDRRMC 

DISASTER AT SEA An expert team from the Japan Disaster Relief helps the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in containing the oil spill from the sunken fuel tanker, MT Princess Empress, off the waters of Oriental Mindoro in this photo taken on March 16. —PCG PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 172,928 people have been affected by the oil spill in the waters of Oriental Mindoro, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) on Thursday.

Most of those impacted were found in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), with 138,043 persons, NDRRMC said.

Meanwhile, 7,740 people were affected by the oil spill in Calabarzon and 27,145 were impacted in Western Visayas, said the NDRRMC.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that the 7,740 people were from Batangas City. The agency has since disbursed a total of P1.5 million worth of humanitarian assistance to the area.

“The Department is currently processing the downloading of funds to the [local government units] in Batangas province for the implementation of the Cash-for-Work program intended for target affected beneficiaries from Calabarzon, who will be deployed for 15 days of work,” said the DSWD in a statement.

In terms of injuries, 203 people were reported ill, said the NDRRMC.

Meanwhile, 16,930 fisherfolks have been impacted by the oil spill, with a grand total of P263,556,100 worth of production losses, said the council.

The oil spill in Oriental Mindoro was caused by the sinking of the MT Princess Empress, which had 800,000 liters of oil when it sank. The oil slick has reached Palawan and Batangas since the boat sank on February 28.

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