Bataan oil spill not expected to reach NCR —PCG

The oil slick from the sunken Motor Tanker (MT) Terranova off Limay, Bataan is no longer expected to reach the National Capital Region (NCR), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday, citing its trajectory observed during a surveillance mission.

"Na-observe nila (surveillance team) from north-northeast, 'yung unang area ng surveillance natin, ngayon ay south-southeast na. So we are not expecting na papunta na siya ng Manila but we do not discount the possibility," said Lieutenant Commander Michael John Encina, spokesperson for PCG NCR-Central Luzon, in an interview on Dobol B TV.

"Ang trajectory ngayon ng oil sheen, papunta ng Cavite and Batangas, which is south-southeast na po," he added.

(They had observed that from north-northeast, the direction is now south-southeast. So we are not expecting it to reach Manila but we do not discount the possibility. Based on current trajectory, the oil sheen is now heading toward Cavite and Batangas, which is south-southeast.)

Encina said the surveillance was conducted by the PCG's Marine Environmental Unit accompanied by an expert adviser.

In its bulletin on Monday, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) said the oil slick from MT Terranova would reach Metro Manila on Tuesday, July 30.

It said the forecast was based on the oil trajectory model, which “uses surface velocity fields from Global Ocean Physics Analysis and Forecast and surface winds from the National Center for Environmental Prediction Global Forecast System.”

The MT Terranova, which was carrying  1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil, capsized and sank on Thursday, July 25. 

Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla had said that an oil slick from the sunken motor tanker has reached several coastal barangays in the province. These barangays were in Ternate, Maragondon, Naic, and parts of Tanza.

Meanwhile, Encina said 18 of the 24 valves of the motor tanker have been sealed. Once all valves are closed and no more oil is leaking, siphoning operations will be conducted, he said.

“To be exact, may report sa amin kagabi, may 18 valves na tayo na na-encapsulate or na-seal na po,” he said

(To be exact, we had a report last night that 18 valves have already been encapsulated or sealed.)

“So we are now expecting  na may development na po yung kasi 24/7 naman po silang nagca-capping para today ma-cap na natin yung all 24 valves at makapagsimula na po tayo ng siphoning,” he added.

(So we are now expecting that there is a development because they are capping 24/7 so today we can seal all 24 valves and we can start siphoning.)

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said that the coverage of the oil spill has reduced to two to three kilometers.

“Sa tantsa po namin two to three kilometers na lang ang inaabot nito. Hopefully, wala na po ang oil na tatagas at pupunta sa mga baybayin ng Metro Manila, ng Bataan, Malolos, Bulacan at maging dito sa Cavite,” Balilo said in a separate interview on Unang Balita.

(In our estimation, it only reaches two to three kilometers. Hopefully there will be no more oil that will leak and go to the coasts of Metro Manila, Bataan, Malolos, Bulacan and even here in Cavite.) —with Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News