Barangay heads move for stay of Pandacan depot

Majority of barangay leaders of Manila’s sixth district sought recently the amendment of a city ordinance to favor the continued development, operation and maintenance of the Pandacan terminal by the country’s three biggest oil companies.

At least 39 barangay chairmen signed a position paper and sent it to the office of Vice Mayor Danny Lacuna, the presiding chairman of the Manila City Council. "This position paper reflects the sentiments of the Pandacan people," barangay chairman Joel Par, also the vice president of the Pinagbuklod ng Tinig ng mga Punong Barangay sa Pandacan, a 43-member barangay association, said in a statement.

The barangay leaders aimed to block the impending implementation and enforcement of Ordinance No. 8027 which reclassified the Pandacan terminal area from an industrial to commercial and recreational zone, which in effect requires the phasing out of the facilities of Petron, Shell and Caltex, respectively.

Under the ordinance, business permits of the three oil firms in Pandacan is set to expire on April 30. The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States forced the City Council to initiate moves to relocate the Pandacan terminal due to the threats it posed to the community surrounding it and to the Malacañang Palace just across the Pasig River.

The three oil firms, however, argued citing a memorandum of understanding they signed with the City of Manila and the Department of Energy allowing them to continue operation in Pandacan subject to conditions of the dismantling of 28 tanks in the terminal, the development of a safety and green buffer zone, and the integration of the operations of the three companies, which according to them are all underway.

The barangay leaders’ initiative, which the three oil firms consider a big boost to their position, largely raised the socio-economic implications of a sudden and abrupt closure of the oil terminal. The Pandacan terminal supplies about 50 percent of the fuel market and 90 percent of the total lubricants demand of the country. – Pete Laude