Twenty-three (23) coastal barangays in Calapan were placed under a state of calamity after the oil spill from the sunken MT Princess Empress reached the locality last week.

City Administrator, Atty. Reymun Al Ussam said the declaration was contained in a city council resolution passed on Wednesday following the request of Calapan City Mayor Malou Flores-Morillo.

“The declaration of a state of calamity is intended to effectively respond to the economic and ecological effects of the disaster,” Ussam said during the turnover of aid from donors at the provincial capitol.

According to the resolution, the declaration covered the coastal barangays of Balite, Baruyan, Calero, Canubing I, Gutad, Ibaba East, Ibaba West, Lazareto, Mahal na Pangalan, Maidlang, Masipit, Nag-Iba I, Nag-Iba II, Navotas, Pachoca, Parang, Salong, San Antonio, Silonay, Suqui, Tawagan, Tibag and Wawa.

Calapan, which has 62 barangays, is situated some 69 kilometers from the waters of Oriental Mindoro’s Naujan town, where the tanker was first reported to have sunk on Feb. 28.