President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. conducts an aerial survey of areas struck by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Photo from Bongbong Marcos’ Instagram)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. went to Pola, Oriental Mindoro on Saturday to inspect the disastrous oil spill that impacted the province’s fishing livelihood.
The oil spill began on February 28, when the MT Princess Empress sank in the province’s waters. It carried nearly 800,000 liters of oil and a fishing ban has since been imposed in the area.
READ: Fishers in spill-hit areas lose P19M daily as ban stays
“Nagsagawa ng aerial inspection si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ngayong araw sa mga lugar sa Oriental Mindoro na naapektuhan ng oil spill,” said the Presidential Communications Office.
(President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. today conducted an aerial inspection of the places in Oriental Mindoro that was affected by the oil spill.)
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Marcos also attended a situation briefer of the incident with several officials.
“Personal nating nakapanayam si Pangulong Bongbong Marcos hinggil sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng lalawigan, mga pangangailangang pangaraw-araw ng 75,732 pamilyang naapektuhan at ang Recovery Plan ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan para sa mabilising pagpapanumbalik ng buhay ng ordinaryong mamamayan,” said Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor in a separate Facebook page.
(We personally met with President Bongbong Marcos [discussing] the present state of the province, everyday needs of 75,732 families affected, and the Recovery Plan of the Provincial Government for the speedy return to normal life of the ordinary citizens.)
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian was also with Marcos to distribute aid to Pola locals.
“Sa panig ng DSWD, 1,000 pamilyang nawalan ng kabuhayan ang nabigyan ng family food packs at tulong pinansyal sa ilalim ng programang Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation,” said the agency in a Facebook post.
(With the DSWD, 1,000 families who lost their livelihood were given family food packs and financial help under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.)
The President also distributed relief assistance to several locals in the form of 17 fishing boats, post-harvest technology packages, and various agricultural equipment.
The fishing ban is still ongoing for the province, after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources found traces of oil chemicals in fish samples.