Philippines: Oil spill preparedness and response, tackled in workshop

Trece Martires City, Cavite - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region IV-A hosted recently a two-day workshop on preparedness and response to oil spill held at Splash Mountain Resort in Los Banos, Laguna.

The workshop was attended by members of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC) from the eight coastal towns and one city in Cavite. Also present during the workshop as participants were the municipal environment and natural resources officers (MENRO) from the different municipalities, provincial ENRO and the provincial planning and development officer.

During the workshop, each LGU representatives were tasked to map the resources, habitat and other sites in their locality that may be affected in case of an incident of oil spill in their area. The draft sensitivity map will serve as guidelines for the DENR and PG-ENRO in resource valuation of LGUs. It will also be utilized in the preparation of the draft Municipal Oil Spill Contingency Plan.

Meanwhile, Provincial Board Member Irene Bencito revealed the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is in the process of adopting the Manila Bay Oil Spill Contingency Plan (MBODCP). The plan stipulates the specific roles of LGUs that is to identify challenges and develop strategies in the implementation of the plan, and develop action plan to sustain monitoring of the implementation of the plan.

The entire training/workshop was handled by a four-man team from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) led by LCDR Xerxes Fernandez and SCPO Francisco Villalobos. The duo discussed oil spill fundamentals, shoreline clean-up, waste management/disposal and other related contingency plan.

It was concurred during the activity that another workshop is needed to focus on the drafting of a Municipal Oil Spill Contingency Plan for each coastal municipality in the province. (Ruel Francisco, PIA-Cavite with report from PICAD and DENR-Cavite)