Bataan placed under state of calamity anew due to oil spills

A state of calamity has been declared again over Bataan due to the threat of oil spills after a series of maritime incidents in the area. 

Bataan Governor Joet Garcia on Monday signed the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 328, series of 2024 as the oil spills have affected 17,000 fishermen in the province. 

Citing the report by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Garcia said that 10,174 families in Limay and 4,822 in Mariveles are also affected. 

He added that the declaration of a state of calamity in the province would mean additional funding to contain the effects of the oil spills and to provide assistance to the affected residents. 

MTKR Terranova, which was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial oil when it sank off Limay in Bataan on July 25. 

A day after, the MTKR Jason Bradley with 5,500 diesel sank in the vicinity waters of Barangay Cabcaben, Mariveles, Bataan. 

Meanwhile, MV Mirola 1 on July 31 ran aground in the vicinity waters of Sitio Quiapo, Barangay Biaan, Mariveles, Bataan.

The province of Bataan was recently placed under a state of calamity after the onslaught of the southwest monsoon enhanced by the tropical cyclone Carina. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/ VAL, GMA Integrated News