Fresh oil sheen spotted off Oriental Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines — New traces of oil sheen spotted off the waters of Oriental Mindoro where a huge oil tanker sank over a year ago has sparked Pola Municipal Mayor Jennifer Cruz's fears of a repeat of the environmental disaster that wrecked fisher communities' livelihoods.

The familiar signs of grease in the waters near one of five provinces encompassed by the Verde Island Passage should also trigger the government's swift action to protect the biodiversity hotspot, environmental advocates warned.

Cruz said in an interview with "One Balita Pilipinas" on Wednesday that the municipal government has yet to identify the source of the oil spill, which appears to be the same type of oil that was leaked from the sinking of MT Princess Empress in March 2023. 

The oil sheen has now affected two barangays. It was first spotted around 620 meters from the shore of Barangay Buhay na Tubig before being seen near Barangay Batuhan, Cruz said.

Cruz said she doubts that the oil sheen came from a new incident of an oil spill. "Sabi ng coast guard ito ay panibago, pero hindi naman nangyayari ito sa matagal na panahon. … Parang nag-jump agad sa conclusion na hindi ito galling sa lumang barko. Pero saan galling? 'Yun ang question natin." 

(The coast guard said this is something new, but this previously did not happen to us for a long time. ... It's like they jumped to the conclusion that it didn't come from an old ship. But where did it come from? That's our question.)

The Pola mayor said that the fresh oil slick could again harm the health of local fisherfolk in the area, as well as coast guard personnel who will help clean it up.

"Kawawa ang fisherfolk. Until now hindi pa rin nabibigyan ng compensation kaya mabigat na saamin. Yung ating mga bantay dagat again sila nanaman ang mga magkakasakit dito kasi kawawa sila," she said.

(The fisherfolk are suffering. Until now, they still haven't been given compensation, so it's really hard for us. Our coast guards, once again, are the ones who will get sick because they are the ones affected.)

Cruz said that the municipal government no longer has the funds to dole out enough tivelihood assistance to fisherfolk that may be affected by the