On Saturday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has formed an Inter-agency task force that will focus on addressing the possible effects of the oil spill from the Motor Tanker Terra Nova that sank recently at the coast of Bataan.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) will lead the task force together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as its members.
DENR was instructed to conduct water and air quality tests in the affected areas. Furthermore, DOH was tasked to assess the health and medical conditions of the residents.
DILG will be in coordination with the Local Government Units (LGUs) for response to the matter at hand. While evaluation of the condition of the sunken motor tanker will be the responsibility of PCG.
Providing aid to the victims will be a priority of DSWD alongside with DOLE who’ll implement livelihood programs for the affected residents.
Additionally, Marcos gave his directives to coordinate with Oriental Mindoro Governor Bonz Dolor in order to collect inputs on the successful resolution to the oil spill that occurred in the province last year.
During the briefing, the President reiterated the significance of fast response to the issue using indigenous materials that will aid in absorbing oil.
The Philippine-flagged Motor Tanker Terra Nova, carrying 1,494 metric tons of industrial fuel, sank and caused an oil spill on July 25.
The siphoning of oil from the tanker is set to start on Sunday.
