Damage from the Mindoro oil leak is estimated to be about P41.2 billion.

According to a sustainability think tank, the provinces surrounding the Verde Island Passage suffered at least P41.2 billion in environmental and coastal damage as a result of the oil tanker MT Princess Empress sinking in Oriental Mindoro.

The environmental damage caused by the oil leak was assessed to be worth approximately P40.1 billion, according to a research released on Monday by the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).

In the meantime, P1.1 billion was lost in socioeconomic terms.

According to CEED, the overall damage bill exceeded the government's projection by 800%.

"Catastrophic oil spills like the one in the Verde Island Passage (VIP) are deadly, costly, and can forever change sensitive ecosystems," CEED executive director Gerry Arances said.

"The oil spill has also impoverished the people not just of Mindoro but other surrounding communities that depend on the resources of VIP for their survival," he added.

Fishermen in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, continued to lose money from July to November even after the fishing restriction was lifted, according to a study evaluating the harm caused by the oil disaster.

The study also showed that harvests from fishermen had not increased to levels seen before the oil disaster. In order to meet the short- and long-term requirements of the impacted population, Arances demanded a thorough assessment outlining the spill's effects on the environment and way of life. Threats to Protect VIP, the marine corridor, include commercial shipping, illicit fishing, pollution, and climate change.

Via Philstar