Protect VIP, a coalition of communities, sectors, and environmentalists advocating for the protection of the Verde Island Passage (VIP) and communities
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro: Contrary to the statement by Gov. Humerlito Dolor on his social media page on Friday that all water activities in the coastal areas of Pola town are allowed, Pola Mayor Jennifer Ina Alegre Cruz said that they were banned.In a telephone interview on Saturday, Cruz told The Manila Times that she concurred with the order of the governor to allow fishing in the municipal waters 10 kilometers from the shoreline but not swimming or other water activities related to tourism. In reality, even my constituents see for themselves that water activities are not possible because there are still traces of the oil spill. Even though the Philippine Coast Guard has declared that the oil spill is already contained and they have ceased all their activities here, there are still lumps of oil that we see on our coastal waters, Cruz said.The mayor added that she signed an executive order on Friday declaring the continued ban on swimming and other water activities in the tow
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro: The mayor of the town that was hardest-hit by a massive oil spill in February this year here has vehemently denied the claim of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that the slick coming from a sunken tanker that caused it is already contained.