Marine experts: More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by Mindoro oil spill

Josiah Antonio, ABS-CBN News

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Members of Bantag Dagat clean up the shore affected by an oil spill in Barangay Tagumpay, Pola, Oriental Mindoro on March 2,2023. Oil spill stranding have been observed in five barangays of Pola-Tagumpay, Misong, Buhay na Tubig, Bacawan and Calima, days after MT PRINCESS EMPRESS sank in the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Februray 28, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil. Russel Tan, Pola Oriental Mindoro Official Page.' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/04/20230302-pola-oil-spiil-stranding-pio-9.jpg' ><figcaption>Members of Bantag Dagat clean up the shore affected by an oil spill in Barangay Tagumpay, Pola, Oriental Mindoro on March 2,2023. Oil spill stranding have been observed in five barangays of Pola-Tagumpay, Misong, Buhay na Tubig, Bacawan and Calima, days after MT PRINCESS EMPRESS sank in the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Februray 28, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil. Russel Tan, Pola Oriental Mindoro Official Page.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by the oil spill in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, marine experts said Saturday.In an <a href='https://www.msi.upd.edu.ph/News/content/Update-2-Mindoro-Oil-Spill'>updated bulletin</a>, the marine experts used modeled oil spill trajectories and looked at higher resolution data which led to new projection of approximately 20,000 hectares of coral reef, 9,900 hectares of mangroves and 6,000 hectares of seagrass may be affected. New figures also showed around 11 hectares, or more than half of potentially affected reefs are found in the Cuyo group of islands. Among the coastal sites that may also at risk are several marine protected areas (MPAs) including but not limited to the reefs in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, amounting to some 1,100 hectares of coral reefs, they added.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>New projection of marine experts showed that over 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass will possibly be affected by the oil spill in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Photo from UP MSI's website. <a href='https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href='https://t.co/kuuWRTggd9'>pic.twitter.com/kuuWRTggd9</a>— Josiah Antonio (@josiahvantonio) <a href='https://twitter.com/josiahvantonio/status/1631885710189002752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>March 4, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>The marine experts from UP Diliman Marine Science Institute, UP Visayas, and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology clarified that their earlier projection was an overestimation.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/04/23/over-24000-hectares-of-coral-reef-at-risk-in-oriental-mindoro-oil-spill-marine-experts'>Over 24,000 hectares of coral reef at risk in Oriental Mindoro oil spill: marine experts</a></li></ul>They are also recommending to warn coastal communities—especially those on the eastern and southern sides of Oriental Mindoro, including Caluya Island (Northwestern Antique), and potentially Cuyo Island of Palawan—to prepare for the possibility that the oil spill could reach their shores."Aerial surveys by the DENR and UP MSI on the morning of March 3 (8-9AM) estimated the slick to be around 25 km long and between 300 to 500 m wide. It is roughly oriented northeast to southwest, with its tail end situated in Pola Bay," the marine experts said in another <a href='https://www.msi.upd.edu.ph/News/content/Update-Mindoro-Oil-Spill'>bulletin</a>."This was also confirmed by the satellite images released by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)," they added.UP MSI oceanographer Dr. Cesar Villanoy and his team developed an oil spill trajectory model to forecast the track and the transport of the slick from March 3 to 7 based on prevailing weather patterns and conditions, and on recent information on the location of the slicks.Three trajectory model runs were generated as follows:<ul>	<li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOvzTzxajHw'>Scenario 1 </a>considers possible transport northwards towards the Verde Island Passage (VIP), making Calapan and Puerto Galera as possible affected areas.</li>	<li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkH-33YsYfQ'>Scenario 2</a> considers the continuous release of oil from the alleged seepage location, showing that most of the slick will end up in Pola Bay.</li>	<li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0iKagMzve4'>Scenario 3</a> considers the continuous release of oil from the suspected seepage location but was also initialized with the latest information on the location of the observed slick. </li></ul>"This model shows the oil slick being transported southwards, which has now been confirmed to have reached the coasts of Pinamalayan and Bongabong," they said. "It also shows that some of the slick may pass through Caluya Island (Northwestern Antique) and could eventually reach Cuyo Island in Sulu Sea. The model however, again, only shows potential trajectories in the next four days."The marine experts noted that significant seagrass beds are present in several areas, including the coastal barangays of Pola, Mansalay, Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro. "Caluya Island in Northwestern Antique, which has a high possibility of being affected based on the oil spill trajectory model, also has significant areas of coral reefs (2,900 hectares), mangroves (350 hectares), and seagrass meadows (850 hectares)," it added.The Philippine Coast Guard earlier confirmed that the oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro has reached Caluya, Antique.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/04/23/oil-spill-from-sunken-tanker-in-mindoro-reaches-antique'>Oil spill from sunken oil tanker in Mindoro reaches Antique: PCG</a></li></ul>According to a report from the PCG District Western Visayas, the oil spill was monitored in the shorelines of the following areas in Caluya town:<ul>	<li>Sitio Sabang, Brgy. Tinogboc (1km)</li>	<li>Liwagao Island, Brgy. Sibolo (2km)</li>	<li>Sitio Tambak, Brgy. Semirara (2km)</li></ul>The PCG advised residents from four municipalities in Oriental Mindoro to avoid fishing activities due to possible oil hazards.In Liwagao Island, around 150 families or 600 residents have been affected by the oil spill, the agency said.RELATED VIDEO:<figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=2488024' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>

Among the coastal sites that may also at risk are several marine protected areas (MPAs) including but not limited to the reefs in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, amounting to some 1,100 hectares of coral reefs, they added.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>New projection of marine experts showed that over 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass will possibly be affected by the oil spill in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. Photo from UP MSI's website. <a href='https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href='https://t.co/kuuWRTggd9'>pic.twitter.com/kuuWRTggd9</a>— Josiah Antonio (@josiahvantonio) <a href='https://twitter.com/josiahvantonio/status/1631885710189002752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>March 4, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>The marine experts from UP Diliman Marine Science Institute, UP Visayas, and Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology clarified that their earlier projection was an overestimation.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/04/23/over-24000-hectares-of-coral-reef-at-risk-in-oriental-mindoro-oil-spill-marine-experts'>Over 24,000 hectares of coral reef at risk in Oriental Mindoro oil spill: marine experts</a></li></ul>They are also recommending to warn coastal communities—especially those on the eastern and southern sides of Oriental Mindoro, including Caluya Island (Northwestern Antique), and potentially Cuyo Island of Palawan—to prepare for the possibility that the oil spill could reach their shores."Aerial surveys by the DENR and UP MSI on the morning of March 3 (8-9AM) estimated the slick to be around 25 km long and between 300 to 500 m wide. It is roughly oriented northeast to southwest, with its tail end situated in Pola Bay," the marine experts said in another <a href='https://www.msi.upd.edu.ph/News/content/Update-Mindoro-Oil-Spill'>bulletin</a>."This was also confirmed by the satellite images released by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)," they added.UP MSI oceanographer Dr. Cesar Villanoy and his team developed an oil spill trajectory model to forecast the track and the transport of the slick from March 3 to 7 based on prevailing weather patterns and conditions, and on recent information on the location of the slicks.Three trajectory model runs were generated as follows:<ul>	<li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOvzTzxajHw'>Scenario 1 </a>considers possible transport northwards towards the Verde Island Passage (VIP), making Calapan and Puerto Galera as possible affected areas.</li>	<li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkH-33YsYfQ'>Scenario 2</a> considers the continuous release of oil from the alleged seepage location, showing that most of the slick will end up in Pola Bay.</li>	<li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0iKagMzve4'>Scenario 3</a> considers the continuous release of oil from the suspected seepage location but was also initialized with the latest information on the location of the observed slick. </li></ul>"This model shows the oil slick being transported southwards, which has now been confirmed to have reached the coasts of Pinamalayan and Bongabong," they said. "It also shows that some of the slick may pass through Caluya Island (Northwestern Antique) and could eventually reach Cuyo Island in Sulu Sea. The model however, again, only shows potential trajectories in the next four days."The marine experts noted that significant seagrass beds are present in several areas, including the coastal barangays of Pola, Mansalay, Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro. "Caluya Island in Northwestern Antique, which has a high possibility of being affected based on the oil spill trajectory model, also has significant areas of coral reefs (2,900 hectares), mangroves (350 hectares), and seagrass meadows (850 hectares)," it added.The Philippine Coast Guard earlier confirmed that the oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro has reached Caluya, Antique.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/04/23/oil-spill-from-sunken-tanker-in-mindoro-reaches-antique'>Oil spill from sunken oil tanker in Mindoro reaches Antique: PCG</a></li></ul>According to a report from the PCG District Western Visayas, the oil spill was monitored in the shorelines of the following areas in Caluya town:<ul>	<li>Sitio Sabang, Brgy. Tinogboc (1km)</li>	<li>Liwagao Island, Brgy. Sibolo (2km)</li>	<li>Sitio Tambak, Brgy. Semirara (2km)</li></ul>The PCG advised residents from four municipalities in Oriental Mindoro to avoid fishing activities due to possible oil hazards.In Liwagao Island, around 150 families or 600 residents have been affected by the oil spill, the agency said.RELATED VIDEO:<figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=2488024' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>

In an <a href='https://www.msi.upd.edu.ph/News/content/Update-2-Mindoro-Oil-Spill'>updated bulletin</a>, the marine experts used modeled oil spill trajectories and looked at higher resolution data which led to new projection of approximately 20,000 hectares of coral reef, 9,900 hectares of mangroves and 6,000 hectares of seagrass may be affected. New figures also showed around 11 hectares, or more than half of potentially affected reefs are found in the Cuyo group of islands.

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Members of Bantag Dagat clean up the shore affected by an oil spill in Barangay Tagumpay, Pola, Oriental Mindoro on March 2,2023. Oil spill stranding have been observed in five barangays of Pola-Tagumpay, Misong, Buhay na Tubig, Bacawan and Calima, days after MT PRINCESS EMPRESS sank in the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Februray 28, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil. Russel Tan, Pola Oriental Mindoro Official Page.' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/04/20230302-pola-oil-spiil-stranding-pio-9.jpg' ><figcaption>Members of Bantag Dagat clean up the shore affected by an oil spill in Barangay Tagumpay, Pola, Oriental Mindoro on March 2,2023. Oil spill stranding have been observed in five barangays of Pola-Tagumpay, Misong, Buhay na Tubig, Bacawan and Calima, days after MT PRINCESS EMPRESS sank in the vicinity waters off Balingawan Point, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Februray 28, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil. Russel Tan, Pola Oriental Mindoro Official Page.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by the oil spill in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, marine experts said Saturday.

More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by the oil spill in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, marine experts said.

Marine experts: More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by Mindoro oil spill | ABS-CBN News

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Marine experts: More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by Mindoro oil spill

Marine experts: More than 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass may be affected by Mindoro oil spill