On February 28, 2023, the MT Princess Empress tanker sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro and contaminated its pristine waters.
The vessel carried 8,000 liters of industrial fuel which reportedly spread to nearby waters of Batangas, Taytay Town, Palawan. Even the world-famous Verde Island, which is hailed as the center of the center of global marine biodiversity, did not escape its wrath.
Apparently, it was not the first time that the Philippines, an archipelagic country that is famous for its beaches, experienced an oil spill.
Now, the big question is: Will it ever end?
Based on data gathered by republicasia, here are some of the biggest oil spill disasters in the Philippines from 1999 to 2020.
Manila Bay (1999)
On March 19, 1999, the Sea Brothers oil tanker carried approximately 85 tonnes of bunker fuel. Unfortunately, the tanker sank after striking a breakwater in Manila Harbour (Philippines.) The waters of Manila Bay were covered with chemicals that the PCG and Department of Environment contributed to the cleanup. The price for the clean-up costs US$1 .2 million (£750 000).
The oil was pumped out and the vessel was later refloated on April 19, 1999.
Cavite (2001)
In Carmona, Cavite, the oil spill affected a six-kilometer stretch of the Carmona Biñan River. Containment booms or barriers were used by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (now called the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or NDRRMC) to block the oil from flowing toward the bay.
Semirara (2005)
The disaster took place after a power barge ran aground near the island on December 18, 2005. The vessel’s gasoline tanks leaked 235,000 gallons of bunker fuel that affected 100 hectares of mangrove trees. It took a year for the cleaning to finish and the cost of rehabilitation was around $2 million.
Guimaras (2006)
The MT Solar 1 carried more than 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel spilled on the waters of the said province. 20,000 fishermen were forced to put fishing to an end due to the contaminated water. According to Mongabay, Guimaras lost billions of pesos due to the clean-up which the island had to go through long-term rehabilitation to recover.
Cebu, Manila Bay, and Iloilo (2013)
It was unlucky 13 for 2013 and bad luck came in threes.
The country suffered from back to back to back oil spill disasters starting with M/T Makisig on August 9, 2013. M/T Makisig was the suspected source that leaked 500,000 liters of oil in Manila Bay. Twelve coastal barangays in Cavite were reportedly affected.
On August 16, 2013, the MV St. Thomas Aquinas sank after colliding with the cargo vessel Sulpicio Express 7. The collision damaged hundreds of hectares of mangrove. The events also affected five villages of Cordova town in Cebu.
Iloilo (2020)
Iloilo experienced another oil spill after AC Energy’s Power Barge 102 exploded on July 3, 2020. According to AC Energy, the oil was initially blocked by a structure surrounding the barge but high waves caused it to spill.
CNN Philippines said about 200,000 liters of oil leaked, and the Marine Environment Protection Unit of Western Visayas had to install at least five segments of oil spill booms to contain the damage.
