Amid conflicting declarations from local and national officials, the mayor of Puerto Galera insisted that the waters off the tourism town are safe for all water-related activities. In a telephone interview on Monday, Puerto Galera municipal administrator Carmela Leviste-Datingguinoo said that Mayor Rocky Ilagan is standing by the town's official statement released on Saturday, April 15, saying that the waters of Puerto Galera is not among those declared by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as contaminated by the oil spill from the tanker that sank on February 28, 2023.

Laurente, I. J. V. C. (2023, April 18). Puerto Galera waters safe – mayor. The Manila Times, p. A8.