About 75.72% of the oil spill affected coastlines in barangays Semirara, Tinogboc, and Sibolo in Caluya, Antique have been cleaned up, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has announced.

Ensign John Edgar Bertillo, deputy commander of the PCG District Western Visayas Marine Environmental Protection Unit, said that 70% of the total length of coastline in Semirara affected by the oil spill has already been cleaned of contaminated sands and debris.

Bertillo made the remark during the 1st Quarter Full Council Meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 6 on March 31 in Iloilo City.

He also revealed that about 30% of the oil spill affected coastline at Barangay Tinogboc and cleaning in 80% of the oil spill affected coastline in Barangay Sibolo have been completed.

Based on records from the PCG District Western Visayas as of March 29, about 2,915 sacks, 111 one-toner bags, 119 pails, and 441 drums of contaminated sands and debris were collected due to the oil spill incident.

Bertillo added that Western Visayas has had the best and most well-coordinated response in this oil spill incident so far.

The oil spill incident was brought about by the sinking of MT Princess Empress, which was loaded with 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank off the coast of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro on February 28. The incident affected a total of 6,295 households composed of 23,432 individuals in the affected three barangays of Caluya town.

PCG District Western Visayas personnel, along with volunteers, continue to clean the oil spill affected coastlines of contaminated sand and debris in barangays Semirara, Tinogboc, and Sibolo in Caluya, Antique.