President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the creation of an inter-agency task force to lead the government’s quick response to the possible effects of an oil spill in Bataan province.

Marcos visited the area where the Philippine-flagged motor tanker (MT) Terra Nova sank off the coast of Limay, Bataan.

He ordered the Office of the Civil Defense to lead the task force, which shall “closely coordinate” with Oriental Mindoro Gov. Bonz Dolor, in a bid “to get his inputs” on his administration’s “successful response to last year’s oil spill in his province.”

Among the task force members are the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The President tasked the DENR, in coordination with the DoH, to conduct water and air quality tests in the affected areas.

He said the DoH must check on the health and medical condition of the affected residents. He instructed the DILG to coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) to facilitate their respective responses.

Marcos directed the DoLE and DSWD to implement livelihood programs and provide quick response aid for the affected residents.

Further, he said the DoLE can activate its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program and deploy affected residents in cleanup operations.

Marcos, meanwhile, directed the PCG to evaluate the condition of the sunken motor tanker.

In a situation briefing, PCG Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan noted that the oil spill originated from the engine and industrial fuel cargo of the MT Terra Nova.

The ill-fated vessel was carrying 1.4-million liters of industrial fuel when it sank off Lamao Point in Limay last Thursday.

Marcos ordered the task force utilize indigenous materials that would absorb oil and prevent it from further spilling onto the coast.

“Let’s be prepared for the time that we will have to deploy them. Actually, we should be deploying them already,” Marcos told the agencies concerned and local government units affected by the oil spill.

Health guidelines out

The DoH on Saturday issued a health advisory to ensure the safety of individuals in areas affected by the oil spill.

The DoH warned that while an oil spill is not a common disaster, it can still cause not only damage to the sea but also to the health of the people exposed to it.

The Health department noted the three important reminders to responders, volunteers, and cleanup workers: Wear protective gear such as gowns, gloves, boots, and goggles; wash your protective gear after every cleanup operation, and properly dispose of used gloves.