The power firm noted that the incident was due to bad weather conditions last month. NPC noted that it takes full responsibility over the incident.

NPC’s Power Barge 106 was forced aground by rough seas causing the accidental spilling of some 150,000 liters of bunker fuel.

The clean-up operations, company officials said, are in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), together with the residents of the island. The PCG earlier reported that it will take four months to clean-up the affected areas.

"We are expediting the clean-up of the areas affected by the oil spill," said NPC president Cyril C. Del Callar.

The state-run power firm said it will advance the cost of deploying some 300 to 400 additional personnel, as well as provide the logistics and resources needed to effect the immediate clean-up and rehabilitation of these affected areas.

"It will take at most about two months to finish the clean up. This is earlier than the four months previously announced by the Philippine Coast Guard," Del Callar said.

The rehabilitation of areas affected such as the mangroves, coastline, and communities will also be undertaken, the power firm has noted.

"We are implementing these programs in coordination with the communities in the island, as well as with the other local and national government agencies involved, such as the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources," the NPC president has noted.

The NPC’s environmental clean-up and rehabilitation program for Semirara Island, aside from cleaning-up the area, also include water quality monitoring and rehabilitation and restoration of these affected areas.