Task force formed for Bataan oil spill

An inter-agency task force has been established to consolidate efforts and implement mitigation measures to address the oil spill at Lamao Point, Limay, Bataan, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos announced on Tuesday.

Abalos led a meeting of the joint National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Monday in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

According to Abalos, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed all relevant national government agencies to support the affected local government units using lessons learned from the Oriental Mindoro oil spill.

“Everyone will help, which is why national government agencies are here to prepare how we can contain this oil. We need to assess how much oil there is, whether it can be salvaged, and how many liters are left,” Abalos said.

The task force includes the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Office of Civil Defense, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health; Department of Transportation; Department of Science and Technology; and other national government agencies.

It also involves the provincial governments of Bataan and Bulacan, as well as the local governments of Parañaque, Las Piñas, Pasay, Manila, Navotas and Cavite.

The MT Terra Nova, owned by Shogun Ships Co. Inc., capsized on 25 July approximately 3.6-nautical miles, or about seven kilometers, east of Lamao Point while carrying 1.4-million liters of industrial fuel oil.

“Let us all be prepared for the worst. We need to be ready and consider factors such as storms, currents, and other conditions,” Abalos said.

He assured that the inter-agency task force will proceed with concrete actions and provide regular updates to keep everyone informed on the status of the oil spill cleanup and containment efforts.