The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said it may have already located the sunken tanker, MT Princess Empress, that is leaking industrial fuel and threatening nearby areas in Oriental Mindoro and the Visayas.
“We are pleased to report that through the efforts of BRP Hydrographer Ventura, we may have detected the possible site where the vessel is actually located. That site is about 1,200 feet or approximately 400 meters below sea level,” the DENR said in its latest advisory.
It said the sunken tanker is located about northeast of Pola, Oriental Mindoro but it is believed to have moved southeast from its last known position where it completely submerged.
“This will, however, require verification which will be in the form of deployment of a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) which will allow us to complete visualization should the currents and weather permit it. We are now preparing to access an ROV in order to fully determine where the vessel actually is and to completely model the way the oil will be spilling from the vessel,” the DENR said.
Meanwhile, some of the residents in Oriental Mindoro are experiencing symptoms that can be associated with the recent oil spill, the Department of Health said Monday.
DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that while only a couple of residents have shown symptoms, the health hazards posed by the oil spill are undeniable.
“We’ve noted these kinds of symptoms already. Stomachache, vomiting, heightened heart rate, difficulty in breathing, nausea, coughing, and aggravated asthma,” she said.
Vergeire said one resident had to be rushed to the hospital due to asthma but has since been managed and discharged.
Municipal health officers in the area have been instructed by the DOH to be on guard for possible symptoms that residents may develop and to point the index of suspicion to the oil spill and manage them accordingly.
The provincial government of Antique is also worried about the effects of the oil spill on the health of children in the area.
Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao on Monday said the odor from the oil spill could cause respiratory problems.
“The air already has a foul odor. You are at risk of respiratory illness, especially those with asthma and young people. In a way, their lives are already in danger,” Cadiao said.
As this developed, a party-list legislator renewed his appeal to hold the owners of the tanker accountable for damaging the country’s vital resources.
“The owners of the MT Princess Empress should be held accountable. Our protected area is in danger because of the oil spill. The government should hold them accountable for containment, cleanup, and rehabilitation,” AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee said.
