PCG says Bataan spill manageable; divers spot small tank leak

The Philippine Coast Guard on Saturday described the oil spill from the sunken motor tanker Terra Nova off Bataan as 12 to 14 kilometers long but still "manageable."

"Magkakatalo sa amount ng oil na tumagas, minimal pa naman siya, manageable. Hopefully mag-stay na ganoon lang hanggang sa makapagsimula ng siphoning tomorrow," PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo told reporters in a press conference. 

(The amount of oil is minimal and remains manageable. Hopefully, it will stay that way until we start siphoning tomorrow.)

Balilo also clarified that the ship's cargo tank, which contains 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil, was intact and the situation was not yet alarming. 

However, siphoning had to start as soon as possible to prevent the spread of oil.

"Yung siphoning, basta pag nakapag-umpisa ay binigay na timeline sa amin nung [salvor] company ay seven days," he said. 

(As for the siphoning, if we can already start, the company gave us a timeline of seven days.) 

Meanwhile, Vonne Aquino reported on "24 Oras Weekend" that technical divers of Harbor Star, the salvor chartered to work on the M/T Terra Nova, discovered a small leak coming from the tank valve.

Balilo said they deployed an oil spill boom while three PCG vessels applied dispersants in affected waters. 

He added that because of the southwest trajectory of the oil, locals in Batangas and Cavite had to prepare for the spill's effects.

"Nasugbu, Naic at saka baka dyan sa Mariveles, yun ang mga kailangan natin kausapin at maghanda. Cavite," he said. 

(Nasugbu, Naic, and Mariveles must be informed and prepared; as well as Cavite.)

According to the lawyer of M/T Terra Nova's shipping company, Portavaga Ship Management Inc., they will release an official statement once they receive more information. 

The M/T Terra Nova's sister ship sailed from Batangas and was expected to arrive in Limay, Bataan sometime Saturday. The industrial oil siphoned out of the Terra Nova would be transferred to this sister vessel.

The M/T Terra Nova departed Bataan for Iloilo when it capsized 3.6 nautical miles east of Limay town around 1:10 a.m. Thursday. 

One person died in the incident. 

Earlier, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga warned that the oil spill caused by the sunken MT Terra Nova in Bataan might affect Bulacan, Cavite, and Pampanga.

"We are on the lookout now for the possible contamination that could happen in the wetlands and the coastline areas not just of Bataan, but we are also looking at Bulacan, and we are also looking at Pampanga, possibly Cavite because of Corregidor," Yulo-Loyzaga said.

The Philippine Coast Guard also warned that fish in the spill area may not be fit for consumption as these may now be contaminated.

"Oil spill na nga eh. Baka contaminated yung mga isda so wag na lang muna baka magkasakit tayo," said Balilo. 

(There's an oil spill, the fish might be contaminated, it might make you sick.) 

Limay, Bataan Mayor Nelson David said that financial assistance had been provided to the fishermen and this would continue until they are allowed to fish again. — VAL/DVM, GMA Integrated News