Puerto Galera waters unaffected by oil spill, says Mayor

Mayor Rocky Ilagan stated that Puerto Galera's municipal waters are unaffected by the oil spill, citing an April 15 report from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).

This contradicts pronouncements from Oriental Mindoro Governor Bonz Dolor, who claimed Puerto Galera and nearby areas failed water quality tests and are unsafe for water activities.

The Department of Health (DOH) has not banned water activities in Puerto Galera but is conducting random water testing.

Ilagan emphasized that the local government unit (LGU) will maintain the status quo and await official positions from the DOH and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to avoid premature reactions that could adversely affect the public.

The oil spill originated from the sunken oil tanker MT Princess Empress on February 23 and has impacted 84 barangays in 10 municipalities in Oriental Mindoro.