Government seeks EPA expertise in transfer of oil depot

Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez has sought the technical knowhow of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in case government decides to relocate the multi-billion peso oil depot in Pandacan.

"We met with the officials of the US environment protection group. We asked assistance on how to treat the land of the former oil depot in case there is contamination of the land," Perez said.

Perez said his department will need technical assistance on the matter, considering that this is the first time the government will order the relocation of such an oil facility.

According to Perez, a steering committee has already been formed to finalize the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the government and the three major oil companies.

For 80 years, the country’s largest oil firms – Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petrolum Corp., and Caltex Philippines Inc. – have occupied a nearly 30-hectare property in Pandacan, Manila.

Perez said the committee will focus on the security and safety issues that the oil terminal occupants will have to adopt to protect the facility and adjacent communities against possible terrorist attacks and environmental threats.

"The committee is expected to come up with recommendations," said Perez, who will be consulting with the said group within this week.

A few months ago, the Senate committee on energy decided to investigate the environmental aspect of the presence of the oil depot in the area and the security of the residents living near these facilities.

Aside from environmental hazards, the Pandacan residents have complained that oil terminals could be susceptible to terrorist attacks following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the US.

Manila city councilors are also pushing for the dismantling of the oil depots, which are situated a few hundred meters away from the Malacañang, the official residence of the President of the Philippines.

Oil companies have argued that the transfer of the oil terminal result in about P10 billion worth of new investments on their part.

It has been proposed that the government share in the cost of the relocation to ease the burden of the oil companies.