PCG Unveils Revised National Contingency Plan for Oil, Hazardous Spills
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has launched its revised National Contingency Plan for Oil and Hazardous and Noxious Substances (NCP-OHNS), which covers response to marine pollution incidents, particularly oil and hazardous substance spills. The Coast Guard Marine Environmental Protection Command (MEPCOM) launched it during the opening of MARPOLEX 2026 in Manila on September 15, 2026.
MARPOLEX is an annual exercise that brings together government agencies and maritime stakeholders to strengthen preparedness and coordination. Captain Wynchester Florentino of the PCG, Deputy Chief of Staff for Marine Environmental Protection, presented the revised plan. It incorporates lessons from earlier maritime incidents, including the MT Princess Empress in 2023 and MTKR Terranova in 2024. According to the PCG, it took 15 months of technical and institutional work, from major drafting activities in March 2025 to approval in June 2026.
PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan and MEPCOM Commander Vice Admiral Rommel Supangan formally unveiled the plan. Gavan said effective emergency response begins long before an incident happens. "The sea will not wait for us to consult this document the NCP-OHNS for the first time. It will already be moving. Our readiness must be built by then," he said.
The PCG said the 2026 Tabletop Exercise will be an opportunity to test and validate the new plan. Through MARPOLEX 2026 and the NCP-OHNS, the PCG and its partner agencies reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the country's seas, marine environment, and coastal communities.
Source: Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) press release