August, 13 2024

The containment booms, equipment specifically designed to help contain oil spills out at sea, can hold up to two large fire trucks worth of oil per span, giving authorities enough time to respond and mitigate damage to marine ecosystems. The oil spill containment booms were procured shortly after an oil spill occurred on the coast of Oriental Mindoro, damaging vital marine ecosystems in the area and endangering the livelihoods of coastal communities. The island of Mindoro is surrounded by teeming marine biodiversity hotspots, with the Verde Island Passage to the east of the island and the Mindoro Strait to the west, a haven for artisanal fish such as yellowfin tuna, a species on which so many depend on in Occidental Mindoro. Apo Reef, the second-largest contiguous reef system in the world, is found along the Mindoro Strait. The existence of mitigation measures such as containment booms will help boost Mindoro’s disaster-preparedness and resilience. 

Following the handover ceremony, an Oil Spill Awareness and Emergency Response Training was conducted in Sablayan from July 16 to 18. Organized by the Sablayan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the Occidental Mindoro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) with support from WWF-Philippines’ Sustainable Tuna Partnership (STP2) Project, the training equipped responders with essential operational knowledge for handling future oil spill contingencies.

The three-day training provided participants with knowledge on oil spill response assessment, planning, strategies, and support. Its final day, led by the PCG, consisted of practical exercises that utilized actual boats and realistic scenarios, sharpening participants' skills in environmental protection and responder safety.

The containment booms provided to Sablayan combined with the practical training conducted will be crucial tools for mitigating the impact of oil spills on marine ecosystems and further allow for timely response and protection of the biodiversity-rich waters surrounding the island of Mindoro. 

This material was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of WWF-Philippines and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.


For more information, please contact:

Melody Melo-Rijk, Project Manager, 
Mindoro Strait Sustainable and Equitable Tuna for Bankability (MSSETB)/Project Buhay
mmelorijk@wwf.org.ph

Jonah Kayguan, Integrated Marketing and Communications Specialist, 
Mindoro Strait Sustainable and Equitable Tuna for Bankability (MSSETB)/Project Buhay
jkayguan@wwf.org.ph