Philippines to support workers affected by massive oil spill

A member of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute helps in the clean up of oil sludge on the coast of the town of Pola, Oriental Mindoro. - Vietnam News/ANN

MANILA. April 2 (Vietnam News/ANN): The massive oil leak from a tanker that sank off the Philippines' Oriental Mindoro province a month ago has affected at least 63 tourism sites and 1,000 workers in the field, the country's Department of Tourism (DOT) reported.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said that affected tourism spots include those for community-based tourism.

She directed the regional tourism offices to craft a recovery action plan to guide the affected tourism stakeholders, adding that the government will provide affected tourism workers with social protection.

She said the department will equip the affected frontline workers with “capacity building and skills training programs to prepare and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood” after the oil spill.

The MT Princess Empress vessel was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank off Oriental Mindoro on February 28, causing a widespread oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and the neighboring provinces.

One month after the accident, the clean-up operation continues in the coastal areas in south Luzon island and central Philippines regions.

The government has collected over 10,000 liters of oil-mixed water. The incident has affected more than 36,000 families. - Vietnam News/ANN