MANILA— South Korea is sending a team of experts and PHP11 million worth of equipment to help in the cleanup of the Mindoro oil spill caused by a sunken tanker last month.
The Korean Embassy in Manila on Thursday said four personnel from the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) will arrive in Manila on March 27 to closely work with their counterparts in the Philippine Coast Guard.
Korea will also deliver 20 tons of sorbent pads and snares, 1,000 meters of solid flotation curtain boom, and 2,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the responders.
The items worth USD210,000 or approximately PHP11.4 million are expected to arrive by April 5.
The Embassy said this is the first time South Korea is extending assistance for the prevention of marine pollution.
“For the oil spill in Mindoro, the Government of Korea has been closely working with the Philippine Coast Guard and decided to offer assistance in solidarity with the Philippines, including needed materials and support from the KCG Emergency Response Team,” it said.
“Korea will continue to support the Philippines’ response and clean-up efforts to expedite the recovery of the affected towns and their residents’ livelihoods and to prevent further damage to its natural resources,” it added.
Korea is the third country to extend aid since the tanker MT Princess Empress capsized off Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro province on Feb. 28, discharging around 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil into the sea.
Japan and the United States had earlier dispatched experts, including members of their respective Coast Guards to provide technical support to the PCG. (PNA)
