BATAAN OIL SPILL REACHES CAVITE SHORELINES

THE  oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Bataan has already reached the shorelines of Tanza, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate in the province of Cavite,  the progressive fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said.

The effect of the oil slick in his province was posted by Cavite Gov.  Jonvic Remulla on his social media page on Monday.

Fisherfolk and residents in the coastal town of Tanza were disrupted by the distinctive odor associated with the oil spill brought by the sunken  oil tanker MT Terranova.

PAMALAKAYA said fishermen are now worried that the oil slick might contaminate fishery resources, consequently affecting the farm gate prices of their produce.

“Nangyari na ang aming kinatatakutan; ang kumalat ang langis sa kalakhan ng Manila Bay at maperwisyo ang kabuhayan ng maraming mangingisda,” PAMALAKAYA said.

“Dito lamang sa bayan ng Tanza, tinatayang mahigit 5, 000 mangingisda ang maaapektuhan kung hindi agarang maaapula ang kumakalat na langis,” it further said.

“Habang tila kibit-balikat ang Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) at mga awtoridad sa lawak ng pinsala ng oil spill, matinding pangamba na ang dinaranas ng mga mangingisda ng Manila Bay na hindi pa nga nakakabangon mula sa pananalasa ng bagyong Carina at Habagat,” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKAYA vice chairperson, in a statement, said.

Around 5,000 fisherfolks of Tanza requested for immediate action on the oil spill.

PAMALAKAYA said that it will conduct on-site inspections in various municipal waters in Cavite to check the extent of the oil spill, and will seek concrete rehabilitation for the affected livelihoods and damaged resources.

The provincial government of Cavite immediately provided assistance to the affected fishermen in response to the oil spill  brought by the sunken oil tanker.