Clean-up employees deployed to the impacted village of Pola have reported that they have been feeling ill, per local media report.
Breathing fuel oil vapours can result in symptoms like headaches and nausea, while skin contact may result in blisters and itchiness.
Philippines authorities have declared a state of calamity for the impacted areas in the province and have also imposed a ban on fishing until the spill has been cleaned up.
But this ban has a massive impact on the livelihoods of several locals in the area. Across 60 villages, over 18,000 fishermen in about 60 villages have been restricted from using the water, local authorities mentioned.


The Philippines’ tourism ministry has reportedly raised concerns regarding the spill-tainting waters at well-known diving destinations, including the Apo Reef in Mindoro, Verde Island passage, and World War II shipwrecks in Palawan.