WATCH: Fishermen in Oriental Mindoro collect drums worth of spilled oil

ORIENTAL MINDORO, Philippines – For fishermen in Pola, Oriental Mindoro, a new morning routine now includes gathering spilled oil that reached their shorelines.

According to Guniesto Criansares, Barangay Kalima kagawad (official), village residents volunteered to help collect the oil that reached the municipality after oil tanker MT Princess Empress capsized near Romblon on February 28.

When the villagers first started cleaning up the oil on March 1, they were not sure what to do with it, the barangay official said.

“Talaga pong malaki ang epekto po sa ‘min, lalong lalo na po sa magdadagat,” said Criansares. (We were greatly affected by the oil spill, especially the fishermen.)

Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor on Friday, March 3, announced that he had suspended fishing in areas affected by the oil spill.

Oil was found sticking to rocks and young Patapat trees along the barangay coastline.

Watch Rappler multimedia reporter Dwight de Leon’s interview with Kagawad Criansares on how the oil spill affected the community’s livelihood and health. – Rappler.com