Coastal villages on Guimaras Island are bracing for an oil spill after bunker fuel coming from a sunken cargo ship reached their shores on Monday. While a possible oil spill would be much smaller compared to the massive oil spill that devastated the island seven years ago, officials feared that the island’s rich marine resources and the livelihood of fishermen would be affected again. The MV Sportigo sank 90 feet to the bottom of the Iloilo Strait between Guimaras and Iloilo provinces after strong waves and wind dragged the ship from its anchorage area, causing its collision with another moored cargo vessel, the MV Jehan 5, early on Sunday. The Sportigo was carrying 12,000 liters of bunker fuel and 28,000 bags of fertilizer.

Burgos, N. P. Jr. (2014, January 21). Guimaras villagers brace for oil spill. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A11.