Oil slicks from the sunken tanker were reportedly spotted at the coasts of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, along the Verde Island Passage (VIP), the University of the Philippines (UP) Marine Science Institute said on Friday, March 17.
In its latest update, UP Marine Science Institute said that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office confirmed the presence of the reported oil slick on Calapan coast on Thursday, March 16.
"The weakening of Amihan along with the continuous seepage from the site might also bring the oil to the shores of Batangas and Verde Island," it noted.
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The UP Marine Science Institute advised communities along the VIP and Batangas to prepare for the oil slick.
If there are oil slicks sighted, the institution asked individuals to report this to its <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFCJ9mINuWiLGws9jbJROui52wjZwmmgV9dnn0EX7eWkKLdg/viewform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online platform</a> or wait for the local government's interventions.
The institution further asked the public to follow guidelines to prevent harmful effects.&nbsp;
Also on Friday, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSa) posted satellite images of the oil spill extent on the coast of Oriental Mindoro.
According to PhilSa, about four square kilometers of oil spill covered the coast as of March 15 at 5:59 pm.
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Oil slicks spotted in Calapan City along Verde Island Passage - UP Marine