MANILA — The Department of Health on Tuesday issued guidance after several residents fell ill following an oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.

In a media forum, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said vulnerable groups had to be relocated to a safer area.

"Doon sa mga nakatira within 100 meters, kailangan ire-relocate ang mga matatanda at may mga sakit sa baga. Ilalabas sila at dadalhin sa mga kaanak na medyo malayo-layo doon sa lugar na 'yun," she said.

(Among those who live within 100 meters, the elderly and those with respiratory problems should be relocated. They should stay with relatives who live farther away.)

"Those within 100 meters from the affected area cannot drink their water. They have to be supplied with safe water by the local government. 'Yung mga nakatira within 100 meters hindi puwedeng surgical masks lang ang gamit nila. Kailangan 'yung industrial mask na binigay natin sa kanila ang gagamitin nila," she added.

(Those within 100 meters cannot use just surgical masks. We should give them industrial masks.)

• Tubig-dagat sa Oriental Mindoro na apektado ng oil spill, bagsak sa water standard quality

At least one person was admitted in a hospital for aggravated asthma but has since been discharged.

Meanwhile, some residents have reported experiencing cramps, nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, and headaches.

Vergeire said most symptoms exhibited by residents were resolved within 2 to 3 hours.

• Sunken oil tanker near Oriental Mindoro found 400 meters under the sea

Authorities believed they have located the motor tanker Princess Empress, which had engine trouble and sank in rough seas off Naujan municipality on February 28.

It was carrying 800,000 liters or 210,000 gallons of industrial fuel oil from Bataan province, near Manila, to the central province of Iloilo.

Another vessel rescued the 20 crew members on board.

Diesel fuel, which had been powering the tanker, and some of the cargo have leaked into the sea, the coast guard said previously, sparking concern for the environment and industries dependent on the ocean.

The spillage has reached the provinces of Antique and Palawan.

Around 70 coastal villages from 9 municipalities in Oriental Mindoro that are affected by the oil spill are now under a state of calamity.

• Mga lugar sa ilalim ng state of calamity, nadagdagan pa

— With reports from Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News; Agence France-Presse