Bataan oil spill may have reached Cavite already — fisherfolk group

MANILA, Philippines — Oil was found on the shores of Tanza in Cavite, which a fisherfolk group believes came from the sunken oil tanker MT Terra Nova.

On Monday, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) released videos and photos showing traces of oil along the Tanza shore.

“Nangyari na ang aming kinatatakutan; ang kumalat ang langis sa kalakhan ng Manila Bay at maperwisyo ang kabuhayan ng maraming mangingisda. Dito lamang sa bayan ng Tanza, tinatayang mahigit 5, 000 mangingisda ang maaapektuhan kung hindi agarang maaapula ang kumakalat na langis,” PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement. 

(Our fears have happened, that the oil will reach Manila Bay and it will disrupt the livelihood of many fisherfolk. Here in Tanza, more than 5,000 fisherfolk will be affected if the spilled oil is not contained.) 

PAMALAKAYA said that fisherfolk have yet to recover from the effects of Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon as authorities failed to address the magnitude of the oil spill.  

Philstar.com has reached out to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for comment, but they said they would address the matter in a press conference later on Monday.

On Sunday, environmental organization Greenpeace Philippines reported that aerial footage of the waters of Hagonoy in Bulacan revealed that oil had reached the area as well. The PCG disputed this claim, saying that they did not observe this during their visit at the time of Greenpeace’s statement.

Later that night however, a report from the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-SMI) posted Sunday confirmed that the oil spill is projected to hit both Bulacan and Cavite. 

“The model shows possible transport northwards to Bulacan confirmed by oil slick sightings, from the slick observed on July 26, 2024 5:40AM by PhilSA (Philippine Space Agency). Considering the continuous release of oil from the tanker, coastal areas of Cavite City may also be affected with the eastward change of forecasted winds today, July 28, 2024,” the UP-MSI said. 

The PCG originally planned to siphon the oil out of the sunken tanker, but weather conditions proved to be a hindrance. A