Residents of Lower Jasaan are warned against bathing or fishing in its coastal waters until the oil spill from a sunken cargo vessel is finally contained.
He added the yet-to-be identified ship’s owner could be facing violation of Republic Act 9275 or the Clean Water Act for the oil spill
LOCAL officials are scrambling to avert a possible environmental disaster following the sinking of an old cargo ship last Saturday at Barangay Lower Jasaan in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental that resulted in an oil spill.
oil spills from sunken ship in Misamis town from davaotoday.com
According to latest reports, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and residents of local community have already collected at least 2,000 liters of oil residue from MV Racal IV, which sank off the shores of Lower Jasaan.
Residents say the old vessel had been docked at a local shipyard in the coastal barangay for five years now.
Using sawdust and mosquito net, PCG was able to collect the oil that was already mixed with saltwater.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Ronald Moncayo, acting chief of the PCG’s Marine Environment Protection Force based in Misamis Oriental, said the sinking occurred early Saturday morning,
Prior to that, it was already reported there was a hull breach that is causing the seawater to seep into the vessel.
He added that a salvage company has asked permission to “pump out” any remaining fluids such as oil inside the boat before scrapping it, adding that the ship was no longer operational and was sold to a new owner when it sank.
“I told them (salvage company) to put spill booms around the vessel as requirement before we could allow them to conduct a ‘pump out,’ but it sank before the salvaging company could comply with the requirement,” Moncayo said.
He added the yet-to-be identified ship’s owner could be facing violation of Republic Act 9275 or the Clean Water Act for the oil spill.
Other barangays affected by the oil spill were Luz Banson, Kimaya, and Upper Jasaan.
“This is worse than the previous oil spill incidents we had,” Barangay Chairman Sabas Tagarda Jr. said, advising residents not to bathe or go fishing until the spill is fully contained.
He said they have also placed oil spill booms around Lower Jasaan’s coastal area to contain the spillage. (ONT/with report from PNA)
Tags: #JasaanMisamisOriental, #oilspill, #PhilippineCoastGuard