Lim wants Manila firms checked for environment-friendliness

MANILA, Philippines – After issuing an executive order banning firms that could cause pollution in any form in Manila, Mayor Alfredo Lim directed officials yesterday to evaluate and inspect all existing industries in the city to ensure that their operations do not violate anti-pollution laws.

Lim said in his order that no new business that will only pollute the environment or pose a danger to lives and properties shall be registered or allowed to do business in Manila.

Examples of such businesses are those classified as pollutive or hazardous under Ordinance 8187 – a measure that created medium and heavy industry zones and, according to its critics, allowed the operation of hazardous and pollutive industries.

The country’s three largest oil firms, which have an oil depot at Pandacan, said they want an independent evaluation by a third party risk assessor of its safety and pollution control measures in the Pasig River.

Critics of the depot, particularly Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, said the oil firms’ operations hinder the rehabilitation of Pasig River.

In a press statement, Petron, Shell and Chevron said they will shoulder the expenses for an assessment by an independent party on the safety and pollution control aspects of their Pandacan operations, provided the risk assessor is among the top 10 in the world in order to ensure its competence and credibility.

The three major oil firms’ CEOs will also hold a press conference today at the Pandacan depot to present this proposal to all concerned sectors.

While the oil companies said they can confidently assert that the depot exceeds international and Philippine standards on safety and pollution control, they recognize that the communities around the facility and interested stakeholders will find it more credible if the facts come from a reputable and independent body.

The three oil companies said they have taken extra steps since 2002 to reassure the residents around the Pandacan terminal by scaling down their operations. They also removed their liquefied petroleum gas storage facility, reduced the number of fuel storage tanks, and created a “green” buffer zone.

Petron is in the process of identifying alternative sites to relocate portions of their fuel storage operations. This comes as a result of its commitment to both Lim and to Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales that they will reduce the concentration of their inventory facilities in Pandacan. Petron has indicated that it will work closely with both local and national government officials to coordinate these moves.

The oil firms said they will ask all stakeholders including the Church, government, business and Manila City Hall officials – from both sides of the debate to participate in the selection process.

They said the entire assessment, up to the disclosure of the findings, will be completely open and transparent.

A few days after approving Ordinance 8187, which allowed the oil depot to stay, Lim said he plans to give the oil firms five years to leave Manila and look for a relocation site.

Amid the uncertainties over the fate of the oil depot, the oil firms said they just want to assure the public that utmost safety is what they want for the oil facility.

Hue and cry

Rosales, on the other hand, had a pastoral letter-statement read in Roman Catholic churches all over Manila yesterday, calling on the faithful to pray for the depot’s transfer and the revocation of Ordinance 8187, according to Councilor Ma. Lourdes Isip-Garcia.

He also called for a signature campaign in parishes and schools for the local government to revoke the ordinance, said Isip-Garcia.

She said Lim previously promised Church officials that he would veto Ordinance 8187, but broke his word.

Lim expressed confidence yesterday that city officials who considered the welfare of majority of residents in approving Ordinance 8187 would be vindicated in the end.

He said if he vetoed the measure, at least 10,000 Manila residents will lose their jobs, while the city stood to lose at least P200 million a year in taxes alone. The city draws from its tax collections the funds used for free public education, medicines and other social services.

Lim said the city cannot afford to lose the revenue since it was left by his predecessor, Atienza, with a P1.4-billion budget deficit.

Echoing Lim’s sentiments, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno challenged Atienza to immediately cancel the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) covering the operations of the oil depots in Pandacan.

Noting that oil depots are operating in other parts of the country, Moreno said, “Why is he focusing on Manila? Is it because there are only 11 months until the next elections?” Atienza, who served three terms as Manila mayor, is reportedly planning to run again.–Sandy Araneta and Donnabelle Gatdula, Philippine Star