OCD chief says better response measures vs sea disasters needed

FILE PHOTO: A crew of the Philippine Coast Guard collects water samples from an oil spill within the waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. On Saturday, March 2, 2024, the Workplace of Civil Protection mentioned higher response measures have to be instituted in opposition to marine environmental disasters. (OCD)PHOTO COURTESY OF PCG

MANILA, Philippines — The Workplace of Civil Protection (OCD) mentioned Saturday that higher response measures have to be instituted in opposition to marine environmental disasters.

“It has been a yr for the reason that oil spill incident occurred in Mindoro. Although it took us time, nonetheless we have been capable of surmount all of the challenges that we encountered due to inter-agency and multisector motion,” OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno mentioned in an announcement

“[A]nd although we hope that it’ll not occur once more, the incident calls on us to strengthen our preparedness and response in order that we are able to reduce the adverse impacts of such incident,” he added.

READ: Solely 627 of 4,000 fishers compensated for Mindoro oil spill

Nepomuceno’s assertions got here a yr after the oil spill incident in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

On Feb. 28, 2023, oil tanker MT Princess Empress, which sailed from Bataan to Iloilo, sank off Naujan and ultimately leaked oil that reached the provinces of Vintage, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan.

“We’re happy that it’s accomplished now, nevertheless, we can not put aside the large price of harm, the environmental and well being impacts that the incident triggered. By acknowledging these, higher preparedness and response are wanted each from the federal government aspect and the businesses,” the OCD chief mentioned.

READ: Mindoro oil spill ruins almost P1 billion in livelihood sources

In response to a report from assume tank Heart for Power, Ecology, and Growth, losses from the oil spill reached round P40.1 billion in environmental injury and P1.1 billion within the socioeconomic facet.

Nepomuceno additionally mentioned that the OCD has discovered many classes, particularly on preparedness, from the oil spill.

“Ginawa lang po namin ang aming katungkulan at obligasyon. Marami kaming natutunan sa [insidente ng] oil spill at isa d’yan at pinakamahalaga ay ang pagtugon at paghahanda sa anumang kalamidad,” he mentioned.

(We simply did our obligations. We discovered many classes from the oil spill incident and amongst them, which is a very powerful, is the response and preparedness for any calamity.)