Oil spill costs fisheries P5M daily

The country's fisheries sector is losing P5 million a day due to the oil spill from the sunken motor tanker MT Princess Empress off Oriental Mindoro.

An estimated 19,000 fishermen in nine municipalities in Oriental Mindoro are directly impacted by the fishing ban, which was implemented due to potential water toxification.

The MT Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, sank off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

The oil spill has also extended its reach to the provinces of Antique, Palawan, and Batangas.

Governor Humerlito Dolor of Oriental Mindoro noted that nearly half of the residents in the affected towns rely solely on fishing for their livelihood.

The government's cash-for-work program has provided P116 million in assistance to at least 151,000 individuals affected by the oil spill.

Sixty-one tourism sites in Oriental Mindoro and nearby provinces have also been negatively affected.

Despite the localized crisis, BFAR has previously stated that the oil spill is not expected to cause a nationwide shortage of fish.