Bataan Oil Spill May Reach Metro Manila, UP MSI Says

(SPOT.ph) The Bataan oil spill is likely to have touched Metro Manila shores by today, July 30, according to the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI). As of writing, only "very minimal and unnoticeable oil sheens" have been observed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on the shorelines of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, and Cavite.

UP-MSI said the oil spill will have reached the Metro's coastline by 1 a.m. based on July 27’s prevailing ocean currents and weather patterns.

“Models are generated to inform the public on the potential direction of transport of the oil spill and help direct response efforts on the ground. However, models have some levels of uncertainty due to assumptions and limitations, and thus, should be used with caution,” UP-MSI said in a bulletin.

However, the PCG Spokesperson Michael Encina told Dobol B TV that the oil slick was not expected to reach the capital region based on its trajectory, which changed direction: "So we are not expecting na papunta na siya ng Manila but we do not discount the possibility."

Tank leaks have been sealed, but efforts to contain the black slick with improvised oil spill booms are ongoing. Greenpeace Philippines reported that the oil spill had already been spotted in the municipal waters of Hagonoy, Bulacan on July 29.

"Manila Bay is where the Port of Manila is, the biggest port in the Philippines and the center of trade and economic activity. This could possibly paralyze the capital and the neighboring areas,” environmental sciences expert Hernando Bacosa told BBC.

Also read: Human Hair or Coconut Fiber: What's Better for Cleaning Up Oil Spills?

The possible effects of the Bataan oil spill

The oil spill comes from the Philippine-flagged Motor Tanker (MT) Terranova that capsized 3.6 nautical miles from Lamao Point, Limay, Bataan on July 25 due to heavy rains from the southeast monsoon. The vessel was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil.

What could’ve been the biggest oil spill in Philippine history was fortunately mitigated as the PCG said the leaking is now “minimal scale” and “very controllable” following consistent efforts to seal the open valves, according to Lieutenant Commander Michael Encina from Bataan Coast Guard Station.

There’s no fishing ban in place for now, but the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) estimated that the oil spill could still affect 11,000 fisherfolk in Bataan, potentially resulting in a combined income loss of P83.8 million per month.

"As the oil spill from the MT Terranova reaches Hagonoy and other areas, it is expected to severely harm the marine environment and the livelihoods of local communities… We have to consider that these communities are bracing for these impacts while still recovering from extreme floods due to Super Typhoon Carina," Greenpeace Philippines Climate Campaigner Jefferson Chua told Esquire Philippines. 

This follows the Mindoro oil spill in early 2023, which reached the coasts of Antique, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, and even Palawan. The vessel, MT Princess Empress, had just contained 800,00 liters of industrial fuel oil, but the environmental damage was significant at an estimated P40.1 billion.

Also read: This Pinoy Student Created a Solar-Powered Device to Help Clean Up Oil Spills