FILE PHOTO: Fishing boats are left idle along the shoreline of Pola, Oriental Mindoro in this photo taken on Thursday, March 9, 2023, following the widespread oil spill that affects the livelihood of local fishermen. PHOTO COURTESY OF NOEL GUEVARA OF GREENPEACE
Update
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Thursday that P217 million worth of assistance was given to victims of the Mindoro oil spill in Mimaropa, Antique, and Batangas.
Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan make up the Mimaropa group.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council reported that 34,553 families were affected by the massive oil leak, which ensued after MT Princess Empress experienced engine trouble amid rough sea conditions off Naujan town on February 28.
MT Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 liters of fuel.
The DSWD said it distributed family food packs, other supplies, and financial aid through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), Emergency Cash Transfer, and Cash for Work programs.
“Sinuguro po kasi ng ating kalihim na talagang hindi lang po pagbibigay ng pansamantalang kabuhayan, maging po ‘yung mga emergency assistance po natin ay magagawa po natin o maiaabot sa ating mga kababayan na labis po naapektuhan nitong oil spill sa Mindoro,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said in a public briefing.
(Our DSWD Secretary [Rex Gatchalian] is ensuring that not only temporary livelihood is given, but also emergency assistance, to our fellow countrymen who were severely affected by this oil spill in Mindoro.)
Lopez enumerated that the DSWD distributed 97,162 family food packs in Mimaropa, 2,000 in Palawan, 16,100 in Antique, and 3,500 in Batangas.
Under the AICS program, around P37 million were released to assist 14,557 families in Mimaropa and 600 families in Antique. On the other hand, the Emergency Cash Transfer program benefitted 15,000 families in Antique, Lopez added.
READ: Oil spill-affected Mindoro, Palawan, Antique residents get over P34M worth of food packs, cash
The cash-for-work program, meanwhile, has more than 16,000 participants who received an accumulated P 58.5 million salary from the DSWD, Lopez further noted. —MJ Soriano, trainee
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