The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday assured consumers that fish sold in markets is safe for consumption amid the Bataan oil spill scare.

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said that fish products dropped in the port of Navotas and other areas are thoroughly checked by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which regularly conducts sensory evaluation to identify oil spill-affected areas.

Meanwhile, a fishing ban has been implemented in the municipalities of Noveleta in Cavite and Rosario, Batangas, after being found with traces of petrochemicals.

“But for the ones that are being dropped in Navotas and for the other fish ports, there is no problem; BFAR is checking thoroughly,” De Mesa said.

“And for the ones that are being dropped in Navotas, they are from Lucena and other places, not necessarily Manila Bay, so it is still safe to buy fish here in these places,” he added.

The Batangas Provincial Veterinary Office, in a report, identified five oil spill-affected areas. These are Lobo, Lian, Rosario, Calatagan and Lipa City.

Last Saturday, BFAR launched an initial relief operation to help oil spill-affected fishermen in Cavite.

Food packs containing essential items, including rice, canned goods, and other non-perishable food items, were distributed to all registered fishermen in Noveleta, which is 1,612 beneficiaries in total.

BFAR will also provide aid to fishermen in areas surrounding Manila Bay, De Mesa said.

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos announced that an inter-agency task force will begin weekly inspections and briefings to update the public and counter misinformation about the Bataan oil spill.

Following an aerial survey to assess the damage, Abalos emphasized the need to prevent panic and misinformation. “We’re doing this to avoid public panic and to combat rumors,” he said. “We promise to show you the actual situation and demonstrate that the national government is prepared.”

Booms eyed vs oil spill

In Lubao, Pampanga, the provincial government has spearheaded the creation of booms to prevent the oil spill that came from the sunk oil tanker MT Terra Nova in Limay, Bataan from reaching the coastal waters of Pampanga.

The oil spill booms are made from coconut husks and PET bottles at the Lubao Materials Recovery Facility here.

Gov. Dennis Pineda presided over an executive meeting with the Incident Management Team to create a plan to stop the oil spill in the coastal areas of Pampanga, and to ensure that all of the coastal areas will have oil spill booms.

The provincial government is prioritizing the coastal area of Barangay Mabuanbuan and Bangcal Pugad in Sasmuan; Pagtalo River in Barangay Baruya and Gumi in Lubao; and Bangkung Malapad in Sasmuan since these areas are around 30 kilometers from where the MT Terra Nova sank.

The provincial government aims to produce 2,337 oil spill booms made from coconut husk, plastic bottles, nylon rope, nets, and bamboo as protection from the potential spread of the oil spill in the coastal areas.