STORY: Parts of the coast of the Philippine island of Mindoro, south of Manila, have been hit by a devastating oil spill. According to the Coast Guard, these are the consequences of the sinking of the tanker MT Princess Empress. At the end of February, with around 800,000 liters of industrial oil on board, he suffered engine damage in rough seas. Volunteers are now trying to clean up the massive oil slick: “Here in our area, the oil is really thick and the smell is extremely strong. There is so much oil that it makes us really nauseous. If we weren’t wearing protection, it would still be a lot worse. But even so, the smell alone makes us extremely uncomfortable.” “We’re trying to collect the oil. We’re wiping the rocks. We’re collecting the dirt and debris on the shore. Everything is covered in oil. And we’re also collecting the rubbish.” More than 40 residents and Coast Guard employees were involved in the cleaning work at this location alone. According to marine scientists from the University of the Philippines, it is feared that about 36,000 hectares of coral reefs, mangroves and algae could be affected by the oil spill.