MANILA, Philippines- Ipinag-utos ni Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga nitong Huwebes ang deployment ng isang survey vessel upang umasisti sa paghahanap sa lumubog na motor tanker Terra Nova, na may kargang 1.4 milyong litro ng industrial fuel oil (IFO).
Nitong Huwebes, Hulyo 25, iniulat ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) na tumaob ang motor tanker (MT) Terra Nova, may kargang 1.4 milyong litro ng industrial fuel oil (IFO), at lumubog sa Limay, Bataan.
Agad na nagtungo si Loyzaga sa Limay, Bataan upang makipagpulong sa local government officials at PCG personnel matapos mapag-alaman ang tungkol sa oil spill dahil sa tumaob na motor tanker.
“Ang immediate na kailangan po nating malaman ay ang location ng vessel at kung ano ang structural condition nito in order for us to understand and anticipate the dispersion of the oil,” pahayag ng DENR chief nitong Huwebes.
Ayon sa DENR, idi-dispatch ang survey vessel BRP Hydrographer Presbitero upang tumulong sa paghahanap sa lumubog na motor tanker. Nagsasagawa ang nasabing vessel, pinangangasiwaan ng National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), ng survey sa marine at coastal environments para sa environment department.
Base kay Loyzaga, ang sunod na tinututukan ng pagsisikap ng DENR ay sa ecosystem protection.
“This means the mapping of the ecosystems reached by the spill and the determination of contamination of water sources once we have located the vessel,” paliwanag ng opisyal.
Sa briefing kasama sina Limay Mayor Nelson David, Vice Mayor Richie Jason David, at PCG officials, inihayag sa kanila ni Loyzaga na susuportahan ng DENR ang kanilang pagsisikap.
“Our assets are at their disposal so we can determine the possible impact of the incident,” wika niya.
“The Department’s regional offices will establish additional water quality and air quality stations whenever they may be needed and coordinate with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office on possible impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems,” anang ahensya. RNT/SA
