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The oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro will head over the areas of the Verde Island Passage (VIP), according to the forecast by the University of the Philippines (UP) Marine Science Institute.
In a bulletin posted on Sunday, UP Marine Science Institute said its oil spill trajectory model predicted that by March 16, the oil may flow northwards towards the Verde Island Pasage due to the weakening Amihan.
"The oil spill threatens the global center of marine biodiversity located in the Verde Island Passage (VIP)," it said.
The affected biodiversity in VIP include critically endangered hawksbill turtles, whale sharks, manta rays, dugongs, humphead wrasses, giant groupers, and giant clams, UP Marine Institute said.
Aside from VIP, it said that the oil spill will affect coastal areas like Calapan, Verde Island, and some parts of Batangas.
According to the institution, it had come up with the model forecast using bunker oil's weathering characteristics and a seepage rate of 1,000 barrels per day.
However, it was noted that the model's accuracy is difficult to determine.
"These assumptions used are based on the best available information. PLEASE USE MODEL RESULTS WITH CAUTION," UP Marine Science Institute added.
Earlier, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that the oil spill has spread to as far as Antique province in Visayas, and it has reached the coastal waters in Barangay Casian, Taytay in Palawan.
