Japan Sends a Shipload of Supplies to Help With the Philippine Oil Spill
The people of Japan have sent supplies, equipment, and personnel to aid the Philippines in cleaning up the massive oil spill off the coast of Mindoro.
The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Corregidor (AE-891) ferried 5.1 tons of equipment from the Japan Disaster Response (JDR) Team to help sustain the ongoing oil spill response operations in Oriental Mindoro. The supplies consisted of oil spill response workwear, masks, oil-proof working gloves, oil-proof rubber boots, oil blotter, and oil snare.
The Japanese team also boarded BRP Bagacay (MRRV-4410) and conducted ocular inspection in the vicinity waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
The boxes were labeled “From the People of Japan.”
Earlier, Japan had sent eight personnel from the Japan Disaster Relief to help the Philippines in dealing with the disaster. Two of the personnel from the Japanese Embassy in Manila, five are from the Japan Coast Guard, and one is from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Three of the personnel from the Japan Coast Guard belong to Japan's National Strike Team, an expert unit in oil spill removal.
Below are photos uploaded by the Philippine Coast Guard showing the supplies, equipment, and the personnel from the Japan Disaster Relief.
Everything We Know About the Mindoro Oil Spill
On February the oil tanker owned by San Miguel MT Princess Empress sank off the coast of Oriental Mindoro. According to Rappler, it was a San Miguel Shipping subsidiary that chartered the ill-fated ship. SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corporation, chartered RDC Reield Marine Services (RDC) to ship the 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil from Limay, Bataan to Iloilo last February 28, Rappler learned from government officials.
Days later, people in the coastal communities were suddenly falling ill: “Dozens of people reported vomiting, headaches, and nausea,” the Washington Post wrote.
Two weeks after the spill, the government is still helpless and struggling at containing the spill or minimizing its spread. The oil slick has even reached Palawan, the Philippines’ most pristine beach destination. Palawan is 300 kilometers from Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, where the tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil sank.
According to CNN, the slick has affected the livelihood of over 10,000 fisherfolk in the towns of Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, and Mansalay.
