Pandacan oil depot gone by November

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s three largest oil companies will finish removing their equipment from the oil depot in Pandacan, Manila in November this year.

The oil firms assured Mayor Joseph Estrada yesterday as he, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and other city officials conducted an ocular inspection of the depot.

Estrada told Petron Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Ramon Ang, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. president Edgar Chua and Chevron Philippines, Inc. country chairman and international products general manager Peter Morris that the city government will provide the support that the three oil companies will need to develop the depot for commercial and residential purposes “in accordance with the city land use plan.”

The Supreme Court ruled that the oil firms should remove the depot from Pandacan by November.

Ang said that as early as five years ago, Petron started removing its equipment from the Pandacan oil depot.

He said he will put up food manufacturing and processing plants to help the displaced workers get livelihood once the oil depot is totally removed from Pandacan.

“We can help the displaced workers through our livelihood plans. We will totally be out of Pandacan by mid-November this year,” Ang said.