Manila seeks oil depot transfer by 2016

MANILA, Philippines - All oil firms with depots in Manila will have until the end of January 2016 to operate these facilities, according to an ordinance approved on second reading by the Manila city council.

Draft Ordinance 7461, published in a major newspaper Saturday, reclassifies the area where the petroleum refineries and oil depots are located from heavy industrial to a high intensity commercial-mixed use zone. It amends Section 2 of Ordinance 8119, as amended by Ordinance 8187.

The Manila council’s legal counsel, Luch Gempis, said the draft ordinance will have to be passed on the third reading and needs the approval of Mayor Alfredo Lim to take effect.

The ordinance’s principal authors are Councilors Jocelyn Dawis-Asuncion, Dennis Alcoreza, Irma Alfonso-Juson, Numero Lim, Edward Tan, Ruben Buenaventura, Joel Chua, Ma. Asuncion Fugoso, DJ Bagatsing, Jocelyn Quintos, Richard Ibay, Cristina Isip, Elizabeth Rivera, Casimiro Sison, Edward VP Maceda, and Marlon Lacson.