Greenpeace urges action on Philippines oil spill

Greenpeace has urged the Philippines government to urgently deal with a sunken petrol tanker that caused the country's worst ever oil spill.

The environmental group said it was shocked at the extent of damage caused by the spill. About 50,000 gallons of oil have leaked from the vessel, which sank on August 11 off Guimaras island in the central Philippines.

The tanker was chartered by Petron, which is part government owned.

About 450,000 gallons of oil are still in the tanker's hold which environmentalists have described as a ticking time bomb.

Oil has already contaminated 220 kilometres of coastline and destroyed 450 hectares of mangroves and 58 hectares of seaweed farms.

Local authorities said the spill had also destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of people dependent on fishing for a living.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA