Bataan declared a State of Calamity again due to oil spills from a series of maritime incidents in the province. The declaration followed the sinking of two ships, MTKR Terranova in Limay and MTKR Jason Bradley in Mariveles, and the grounding of MV Mirola 1 on the Mariveles shoreline during the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Carina.
Governor Jose Enrique Garcia III signed the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 328, series of 2024, on Monday to address the severe damage caused by these incidents.
“This second State of Calamity is crucial due to the new damages affecting more than 17,000 fishermen in Bataan,” he explained.
The oil spill, which has spread to the municipalities of Limay, Mariveles, and Bagac, poses a significant threat to local marine resources essential for the livelihoods of fishermen, market vendors, transport organizations, and other traders.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office reported that approximately 10,174 families in Limay and 4,822 families in Mariveles are now facing the adverse effects of the spill.
Under the newly declared State of Calamity, the province will allocate additional funds to effectively implement measures to combat the oil spill’s damage and provide immediate aid and services to the affected residents.
Garcia noted that the repeated calamities underscore the vulnerability of the province and the need for robust disaster preparedness and response strategies.
Bataan had recently declared a State of Calamity due to flooding and damages caused by the southwest monsoon that was enhanced by Typhoon Carina. That disaster impacted 190,169 families and caused over P35,730,413 in damages to property, crops, and fisheries. (PIA Region 3-Bataan | Rick P. Quiambao)
