PH Coast Guard battles Bataan oil spill mess with coconut husk boom

Improvised spill boom made out of coconut husk by the Philippine Coast Guard as it battles the Bataan oil spill mess. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Coast Guard.)

MANILA, Philippines —  The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has developed an unconventional spill boom made of a humble coconut husk to fend off the tide of toxic slick in areas hit by the oil spill off Limay, Bataan.

On Monday, the PCG shared a photo of members of its auxiliary force making an improvised oil containment boom.

READ: PCG: Siphoning of fuel from sunken ship in Manila Bay rescheduled

Last July 25, a Philippine-flagged tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel “capsized and eventually submerged” in waters off Bataan province.

Earlier, the PCG said Motor Tanker (MT) Terra Nova sank nearly seven kilometers (4.3 miles) east of Lamao Point in Limay.

On Saturday, the PCG said the oil from the sunken MT Terra Nova started to leak into Manila Bay, spreading about 12 to 14 kilometers across the area.

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo assured the public that the leak was manageable or minimal and that its draining process “can be done quickly” within a week.

But Balilo said on Sunday that the siphoning process of the 1.4 million liters of fuel from the tanker will be rescheduled after sealing nine of the ship’s valves and leaking more oil.