Marcos orders assessment of Bataan oil spill damage

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) and other government agencies to assess the environmental damage of an oil spill after MT Terra Nova, carrying 1.4 metric tons of industrial fuel oil, capsized off Bataan’s coast.

During a situation briefing on the effects of Super Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon on Thursday, Marcos asked DENR, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to make an assessment.

Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista told the president of an oil spill that occurred at 1:10 am on Thursday, about 3.6 nautical miles east of Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan.

Bautista reported that 16 out of 17 crew members have been rescued, with one still unaccounted for. The rescued crew are currently aboard a PCG vessel.

However, the Transport Secretary told the President that they could not dispatch their resources yet because of the strong winds and high wave.

"Can we please add an instruction to the DENR to make an assessment on the environmental impact? Where is the capsized vessel? What are the tides, what are the winds, where is it headed? We need to address this proactively. The DOST might also be able to provide some insights,” Marcos said.

"Hopefully, we can manage to contain the oil spill before it reaches land. But given the current sea conditions, with large waves and an expansive ocean, it’s going to be challenging. The Coast Guard has reported waves as high as three to four meters," Marcos added.

The President also underscored the need for environmental experts to identify the affected coastal areas so the government can prepare appropriate relief and remediation efforts.

He also instructed PCG to provide all necessary data to help authorities address the oil spill and its environmental impact.

PCG, for its part, said it is already investigating whether recent weather conditions contributed to the capsizing of the MT Terra Nova.

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo stated that the agency is examining if the current weather disturbances in the area were a factor in the incident.

“As of press time, BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) searches for the last missing crew. The Coast Guard Aviation Command also performs an aerial survey as part of the ongoing oil spill response operations,” the PCG said.