US experts join oil spill cleanup

DTI freezes prices of basic goods in Oriental Mindoro

The United States has committed to help clean up the massive oil spill in the waters off Oriental Mindoro and other affected areas, Malacañang said on Tuesday, March 21.

In fact, experts from the US are now in the country to help in efforts to clean up the oil spill.

Among them are five members of the US Coast Guard (USCG) National Strike, who will provide subject matter expertise and assess the affected areas, the US Embassy

in Manila said on Tuesday, March 21. They will determine the most effective method and equipment to contain and clean up the oil spill from sunken MT Princess Empress, it added.

Two members of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also arrived and will work closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in conducting rapid environmental assessments of affected areas.

Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the two NOAA members will also identify priority areas at risk of environmental damage, and assess needs for ecosystem restoration.

“NOAA has already provided the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) with satellite imagery to boost assessment efforts. It also provided the University of the Philippines-Marine Sciences Institute with support for scientific modeling to estimate the trajectory of the spill,” the US embassy said.

A US Navy supervisor for salvage and diving completes the eight-man team. According to the embassy, he will evaluate the technical parameters required to support the possible deployment of a remotely operated vehicle.

The eight US experts, who are in the country upon request of the Philippine government, are now in Pola, Oriental Mindoro. Prior to their deployment, they received a briefing in Manila from the PCG and the Japan Disaster Relief Expert Team about oilspill mitigation actions taken so far.

“When vessels are in deep water, as in this case, cleaning up the remaining oil becomes a complicated issue,” Commander Stacey Crecy, commanding officer of the USCG Pacific Strike Team, said.

She gave assurance that “through our incident management professionals’ wealth of experience and strong expertise in oil spill response, we will assist the PCG in developing safe and efficient methods to contain and recover the oil and minimize damage to the environment.”

“The USCG remains deeply committed to our relationship with the PCG,” she added.

The US commitment to help in the oil spill cleanup was revealed by Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. during a meeting with President Marcos on Tuesday.

Galvez told President Marcos that he spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin who committed to deploy naval units to help in the clean-up operations.

“I had a phone call last night with Secretary Austin at 7:45 p.m. They are committed to help in coordination with Japan and other countries,” Galvez said on Tuesday.

Galvez said Austin assured the Philippine government that their Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) team “is now on their way to help and provide assistance in managing the oil spill.”

“In fact, as I’ve recommended, some of the exercise scenarios of the forthcoming ‘Balikatan’ exercises will be ‘real life’ and actual HADR operations relative to the oil spill,”

Galvez said.

He further said that the government will continue to seek the expertise and technical support of other partner countries, such as France and the United Kingdom, in containing the oil spill.

“As of yesterday (Monday), the oil spill has already affected 32,661 families in Mimaropa and Western Visayas. Although ₱28.3 million worth of humanitarian assistance alone from the government, LGUs (local government units), non-governmental organizations, and other partners, was already provided to affected families, we will sustain these assistance to them,” Galvez said.

Aside from the US experts, the Japanese salvage vessel Shin Nichi Maru, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), arrived at the Port of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro on Monday. It was immediately deployed to the area.

Support for affected communities

Meanwhile, Marcos vowed that the government will continue to assist communities affected by the oil spill that already reached Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan in Mimaropa (Region 4-B) and Western Visayas (Region 6).

According to Region 6 Task Force on Oil Spill, the national government, local government units (LGUs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other partners have provided ₱28.3 million worth of humanitarian assistance so far to the affected families.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is currently implementing a 45-day cashfor-work program involving 7,198 families (including off-site), which started on March 6. It said the beneficiaries could also avail themselves of Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) and family food packs.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), on the other hand, has started the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program in three areas of Caluya—Sibolo, 152; Semirara, 246; and Tinogboc, 66, through a 30-day work program.

TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed.

Meanwhile, various government agencies are coordinating with the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF) on the conduct of a massive clean-up drive, identification of the debris staging area, as well as the dumpsite.

A private contractor for the oil spill cleanup is hiring 100 local workers to help the community.

The provincial government of Oriental Mindoro has committed to provide daily subsistence needs (meals, medicines, and vitamins) of the PCG team conducting offshore oil spill control. They have also been provided with personal protective equipment (PPE).

The MT Princess Empress was reported to contain around 800,000

liters of industrial fuel oil when it ran aground off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28 due to engine trouble and eventually sank the following day.

Price freeze in Oriental Mindoro

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Mimaropa ordered a price freeze on basic necessities in affected municipalities in Oriental Mindoro following the massive oil spill.

ln view of Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 6290-2023, placing the municipalities of Pola, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro under a state of calamity, and pursuant to Section 6 of RA 7581 or the Price Act as amended, the prices of basic necessities under DTI’s jurisdiction are automatically frozen at their prevailing prices effective March 6, 2023, but not more than 60 days, the DTI-Mimaropa said.

Basic necessities under DTI’s jurisdiction include canned fish and other marine products, processed milk (evaporated, condensed and powdered milk), coffee, laundry/ detergent soap, candles, bread (tasty and pandesal), iodized salt, instant noodles, and bottled water.

DTI-Mimaropa reminded establishments that violators will suffer imprisonment of one year to 10 years, or a fine ranging from ₱5,000 to ₱1,000,000, or both, at the discretion of the court aside from the applicable administrative penalties.

DTI Oriental Mindoro is currently conducting intensified price and supply monitoring of basic necessities.