Monsoon rains, exacerbated by Typhoon Kaemi, delayed the Coast Guard's response and caused widespread flooding in Metro Manila and suburban areas.
But the storm subsided as the typhoon passed over Taiwan's mountainous regions and made landfall in Fujian province in southeastern China.
The MT Terra Nova was one of two ships that sank in the area due to the typhoon, the second ship sinking just off the southwestern coast of Taiwan.
The ship was heading to the central Philippine city of Iloilo when it sank with 17 crew members on board.
One person died but 16 people were rescued, officials said. Authorities are investigating whether bad weather was a factor.
The Philippine-flagged MT Terra Nova has been found to be in compliance with adverse weather conditions.
According to tracking provider VesselFinder, the ship was sailing toward downtown Iloilo at a speed of 0.1 nautical miles per hour.
Captain Valli said there were no storm signals when the ship set sail.
He added that the crew locked the ship's doors tightly before jumping into the sea.
“They felt the waves were really strong. The captain decided to go back to shore but it was difficult because he was sailing against the waves. They said they were pumping water until the boat eventually capsized,” said Rear Adm. Baliro.
Environmental group Oceana urged the Philippine government to assess the environmental impact of the oil spill, adding that “everyone responsible for failing to prevent this tragedy, from government agencies involved to the private owners of the tanker, must be held accountable.”
