DOTr to seek Japan's help for Oriental Mindoro oil spill

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will seek assistance from the Japanese government to help contain the ongoing oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista stated that they will initiate contact with the Japanese embassy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Monday, March 6.

Bautista emphasized Japan's significant capacity to aid in preventing the further spread of the oil spill across Mindoro's islands.

The oil spill originated from the motor tanker MT Princess Empress, which sank on February 28 carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, and has already reached Caluya in Antique.

The spill poses a threat to the Verde Island Passage in Batangas, a vital marine protected area, and potentially over 2,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass.

Environmental advocacy group Oceana has voiced concerns about the spill's detrimental impact on fisheries, coastal ecosystems, and the livelihoods of local communities and the tourism sector.

The Philippine Coast Guard has deployed divers and marine experts and installed an oil spill boom to aid in the containment operation, while authorities investigate the cause of the vessel's sinking.