Untreated toxic wastes

In September 2003, Caltex Phils., Inc. announced it was converting its 49-year-old refinery in San Pascual, Batangas into a P750-million finished product import terminal. In December 2003, the refinery shut down its operations and began operating as a terminal in January 2004. Oil refineries are typically sprawling industrial complexes with extensive piping running throughout. Numerous chemicals are released into the atmosphere during the refining process, with accompanying substantial air pollution and odor emissions, wastewater, fire risks and other concerns. During the refinery operations, it was reported that toxic wastes such as phenol were properly stored in the compound, but insiders claim that two years after conversion, the compound and the phenol have yet to be torn down, treated and remnants safely disposed. These health hazards pose a danger to the public, and should have been appropriately disposed and storage tanks thoroughly cleaned when refinery operations stopped. Concerned sectors alleged there is a good chance that the contaminants and toxic wastes may have leaked into the air and to the water tables of surrounding towns and cities. No facility in the country, however, can properly handle these wastes. Government has to set up a Hazardous Materials Handling Facility to treat and dispose of the growing waste in the Southern Tagalog region, particularly in San Pascual, Batangas, concerned individuals claimed.

Zeroed out by the eCard

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) recently proclaimed the success of its eCard which facilitates the paperless processing of loan applications, pensions and various claims. But a PNB employee who opted to continue with his GSIS Optional Insurance Policy payments (through the PNB corporate payroll system) after the bank was privatized in 1995, lamented that this supposed business solution is being conveniently used to deny him his policy loan application at the GSIS Lucena branch, which has been pending since February this year. He was told instead to surrender his policy so they could issue him a check. Worse, the GSIS member found out that his policy had been earning yearly dividends since 1989, yet he has not received a single centavo from GSIS. Because the GSIS Lucena branch does not entertain follow-ups and inquiries by telephone, the man has had to take leaves of absences and spend a lot on transportation. As a family man in dire need of money, the loan application is essential to sustain the education of his children. The GSIS policyholder couldn’t help but wonder if it has to take GSIS head Winston Garcia to act on his predicament.

Spybiz feedback: Gordon reacts

Sen. Richard Gordon wrote in reaction to a Spybiz column item, "Who’s calling the shots at SBMA?" (Aug. 8, 2006). The senator agrees that "only one person should hold the position of Chairman and Administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority", quoting Section 13d of Republic Act 7227. Gordon also stated that while Administrator Armand Arrezza has worked with him in the past at both the SBMA and the Department of Tourism, he did not recommend or lobby for Arrezza to be appointed as Administrator of SBMA. "The person I recommended to the position of Chairman and Administrator was Atty. Rodolfo Reyes, who was a former volunteer and Deputy Administrator at the SBMA during my term, and a former administrator of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority." Gordon expressly denies involvement or interference with SBMA policies "in any way or form," stressing the extent of his input is limited to suggestions made during Senate hearings in aid of legislation. "My main interest in Subic now is to see it grow into a thriving business and tourism area," Gordon wrote.

Tidbiz: Bert Williams — woman on top

The recent discovery of a London bomb plot has sent airports all over the world tightening their security. US authorities are being particularly watchful of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) because the scheme closely resembles the 1995 Bojinka plot hatched by al-Qaeda bomb expert Ramzi Yousef, who was coming in and out of Manila before he was caught in Pakistan in 1995. US-bound passengers were surprised to learn, however, that the US official overseeing security at the NAIA is a woman named Bert Williams, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) attaché to the Philippines. TSA, an agency under the US Department of Homeland Security, is the lead organization in aviation security and is tasked with analyzing potential airport security threats worldwide. A November 2001 US Public Law called the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) transferred authority over civil aviation security from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the TSA.

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