Coast Guard acts to contain oil spills off Cavite, Bataan

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard has "promptly responded" to reported oil spills off the coasts of Rosario, Cavite, and Mariveles, Bataan.

The two incidents were both Tier 1or small-level oil spills, according to Admiral Wilfredo D. Tamayo, PCG commandant.

The first spill, involving about 560 liters of bunker oil, came from an "underwater pipeline" located two nautical miles from the Petron oil depot in Rosario. The spill covered some 11,200 square meters off the Rosario coastline.

Initial reports reaching the Coast Guard said a Baliwag Shipping vessel damaged the pipeline while anchoring off the depot.

The second incident involved some 210 liters of oil which affected 100 square meters near the shoreline of Poblacion, Mariveles.

The spill reportedly came from four fishing boats that sank in the area at the height of Typhoon “Basyang”, said Tamayo.

Tamayo also reported on Friday that the PCG had completed clean-up operations at oil spills in Calatagan, Batangas, and Bacolod City.

The PCG, however, had yet to determine the source of the oil spill off Calatagan.

Last week, the PCG took oil samples from four foreign-flagged cargo vessels anchored off the Calatagan coast to determine the source of the spill.

Tamayo identified the ships as MV Sta. Annabella, MV San Clemente, MV Sta. Alexandra and MV Sta. Fabiola.

Meanwhile, the PCG found "minimal traces of bunker oil" that surfaced from the broken underwater pipeline of the Chevron oil depot in Bacolod.

"The extent of the affected area is approximately 15 meters in length and two meters in width," according to Tamayo.

Tamayo assured the public that the PCG "responds promptly to reports of oil spills whether they're big or small."

Source: Inquirer

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