MANDALUYONG CITY — The Office of the Vice President, through the Disaster Operations Center (OVP-DOC), on Friday distributed relief goods to residents of Verde Island in Batangas who were affected by the Oriental Mindoro oil spill.

Verde Island is a marine diversity-rich area.

The OVP-DOC, with help from the Batangas Provincial Government, Batangas Vice Governor’s Office, and the Southern Police District, distributed 1,310 Relief for Individual in Crisis and Emergencies (RICE) Food Boxes to 600 families identified by the provincial government.

Recipients of the RICE food boxes were from Barangays Liponpon, San Agapito, San Agustin Kanluran, San Agustin Silangan, San Andres and San Antonio.

Earlier this month, Vice President Sara Duterte led the relief operations for residents affected by the oil spill in Caluya, Antique on March 13.

A total of 1,200 RICE food boxes were distributed in identified payout sites. The affected residents are from Barangays Semirara, Tinogboc, Alegria, Sibolo, and Sitio Liwagao.

From the latest report, 7,617 families or 25,733 Individuals, at least 450 of whom are seaweed planters and 3,649 are fisherfolk. This prompted the municipality to declare a state of calamity.

The spill started when oil tanker MT Princess Empress, carrying approximately 800,000 liters of industrial fuel, partially sank near Naujan in Oriental Mindoro on February 28. It fully submerged on March 1.

According to a report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the oil spill has spread to other areas, including Caluya Island, Batangas, and Calabarzon in Western Visayas. Most of those impacted were found in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan.

OVP MEDIA