The oil spill from a sunken tanker in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro has reached Palawan.

Jerry Alili, head of the Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said on Sunday they found an oil slick two days ago in Taytay, particularly in Casian.

The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that the oil spill had reached Taytay.

“We estimated that around one drum of oil has reached the area. This was cleaned by the community together with the Philippine Coast Guard and the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources),” Alili said.

Alili said they discovered more traces of oil in Barangay Calauag of up to two to three drums.

“Here in Barangay Calauag, the seaweed farms are affected. Some plants have oil sticking to them,” he said.

The DENR has conducted a water quality test in Palawan to check if fish and other seafood in the area were still safe to eat, Alili said.

Alili said they are still assessing the damage from the oil slick.

“For now, we have been instructed to conduct an assessment on the damage so we can document it as and use it as a basis for the next actions we’ll take,” he told dzBB.

The Palawan PDRRMO will also be monitoring other towns on the island including Araceli, Dumaran, Roxas, and parts of Agutaya and Cuyo.

Alili said the Philippine Coast Guard has placed oil spill booms in Palawan but it could not cover the long coastline, so the people of Barangay Calauag made improvised ones out of hay and coconut.

Motor tanker Princess Empress was loaded with 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank in the waters of Oriental Mindoro last week. Jaspearl Tan/DMS