Cavite oil spill threatens 300 fishermen's livelihood, affects 31 villages

The oil spill at Rosario town in Cavite province has affected the livelihood of at least 300 fishermen there, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Friday.

In its 3 p.m. update, the NDRRMC said the fishermen had been advised to suspend their fishing in the affected coastal areas.

"More or less 300 fishermen of Rosario, Cavite were affected and advised by authorities to suspend their fishing activity along the affected coastal areas," the NDRRMC said.

The NDRRMC also said the nearby coastal areas of Tanza had been affected as well, while the towns of Naic and Ternate are threatened.

Rosario town had been placed under a state of calamity earlier Friday due to the oil spill, which the Coast Guard said measured 20 by 15 km.

The Office of the Civil Defense is now monitoring the situation and coordinating with local disaster management units.



Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said at least 31 villages in Rosario, Tanza and Naic had been affected by the oil spill. These include:

Rosario:

• Brgy. Wawa 1, 2 and 3
• Brgy. Sapa 2 and 3
• Brgy. Kaunlaran
• Brgy. Muzon 1 and 2
• Isla Bonita

Tanza:

• Amaya 5 and 7
• Julugan 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
• Capispis
• Calibuyo
• Halayhay

Naic:

• Timalan Balsahan and Timalan Conception
• Munting Mapino
• Bucana Sasahan and Bucana Malaki
• Bagong Kalsada
• Bancaan
• Mabolo
• Labac

The NDRRMC said the oil spill in the coastal areas was reported about 3 km from the shoreline.

Amazon pipe

The Philippine Coast Guard has blamed the leak on the underwater pipeline of Petron Corp. since its ship was the only vessel found in the area when the incident happened.

In an interview with Jiggy Manicad for Quick Response Team on Friday, Coast Guard marine environmental protection unit head Commodore Joel Garcia said divers  reported the highest concentration of the leaked diesel in the area surrounding MT Makisig and at one end of Petron's pipeline, which he called the "Amazon pipe."

"Yung Amazon pipe nakakabit pa hanggang ngayon doon sa barko at nakita po ng mga tao natin na ang concentration ng langis ay doon po nanggagaling," he said.

Petron, in a statement on its Facebook page, has already vowed to “closely cooperate with local government authorities, PCG, and other concerned groups to resolve this situation immediately.”

Garcia corrected a statement  from PCG Cavite Station Commander Lt. Fideles Sallidao, who said that Coast Guard divers failed to detect any holes in Petron's pipeline where the leak would have come from.

"Syempre wala silang makikitang butas doon dahil maitim na 'yung tubig sa dagat. Pero the evidence says na 'yung pinakamataas na concentration ng langis ay nandoon sa area surrounding the vessel kung saan nakakabit yung Amazon pipe. Wala nang ibang pagmumulan 'yung langis na 'yun dahil wala nang ibang depot at barko sa area na 'yun," he said.

Sallidao earlier said PCG men dived 15 feet below MT Makisig to check if there are any holes in Petron's pipeline but found none.

The PCG's initial aerial inspection showed the oil spill measured 20 by 15 km and affects Rosario and Naic towns, and reached the borderline of Ternate town.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has issued a ban preventing residents in the affected areas of Cavite from gathering or eating shellfish. — Xianne Arcangel/KBK/ELR, GMA News