PANDACAN OIL DEPOTA CENTURY -OLD CHALLENGE/ The oil depots in Pandacanhttp://www.interaksyon.com/article/65774/a-century-old-challenge--the-oil-depots-in-pandacanOne Saturday night, on June 22, a strong stench assaulted the senses of residents of Pandacan and Sta. Ana, Manila. By this time, people in the area have been used to the odor as that coming from one of the giant oil depots that lie on the banks of the Pasig River. But this time, the odor was intense and alarming. News spread like wildfire that there could be a gas leak or something worse. Concerned, people in the neighborhood took to calling, texting, and posting to find out what happened. Finally, after a sleepless night, they found out Sunday morning the cause of the stench: 1,000 liters of used bunker oil were spilled into the river from a warehouse in Old Panaderos. The problem has apparently been contained, yet it is asymptomatic of a disease that has been festering in the heart of Manila -- for the past 100 years.A neighborhood rich in historyThe genesis of Pandacan can be traced back to the year 1574, initially part of the Roman Catholic mission in Sampaloc. Due to the many canals formed by tributaries of the Pasig River, it was once called Little Venice or Little Italy. The father of Philippine verse, Francisco Balagtas, lived here -- this is where he fell in love with his muse, Selya.Pandacan was also home to one-third of the heroic Gomburza: Father Jacinto Zamora. Other prominent Pandacan residents include the father of Philippine Opera Ladislao Bonus, pioneering Filipina doctor Paz Mendoza Guazon, revolutionary leader Apolinario Mabini, and sports celebrity Jacinto Ciria-Cruz.In Noli Me Tangere, Jose Rizal mentioned Beata River, the same place where Balagtas went boating and wooed his Selya. Now, these scenes are difficult to imagine. All we can see are floating water lilies in the murky waters where nothing else seems to live. Worse, oil and solid waste bob over these dead waters.What used to be a farming community became partly industrial during the American occupation. Shell established facilities in 1914, Caltex (now Chevron) in 1917, and Petron in 1922. The area was destroyed as a consequence of the Second World War but revived soon after.The Pandacan oil depotWhat is collectively called the Pandacan Oil Depot is a 33-hectare compound that houses the storage facilities and distribution terminals of the so-called Big 3: Chevron, Petron, and Shell. Here, 313 million liters of gasoline, diesel, bunker fuel, jet fuel, and other highly volatile chemical substances can be found.The guarded and fenced facility is in the city of Manila, in close proximity to densely populated areas Pandacan, Paco, Sta. Mesa, and Sta. Ana. Along the same riverbank, less than two kilometers away, lies the seat of the nations power, Malacaang Palace.The First Philippine Industrial Corporation (FPIC) is in charge of the underground pipeline system that runs from the oil refineries in Batangas to the Pandacan oil depot.Incidents and ordinancesOver the years, several incidents related to the oil depot have caused damage to property and threatened the lives of people. In February 1997, two Shell oil tankers exploded inside their premises of the oil depot complex. In 1999, a pipeline leak was the source of fires in Muntinlupa City with one fatality. In January 2008, a tanker burst into flames at the foot of the Nagtahan fly-over, killing one and wounding another. Not too long ago, in July 2010, the FPIC underground pipeline leak caused panic and anxiety among residents as water mixed with oil in the basement of the West Tower Condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati.In 2001, the Manila City Council passed Ordinance No. 8027 that re-classified Pandacan from an industrial to a commercial area. It gave the giant oil companies six months to vacate the area. In 2006, Ordinance No. 8119 ordered the phasing out of hazardous industries in the city, including the oil depot. In March 2009, Ordinance 8027 was upheld by the Supreme Court; while the City Council passed Ordinance No. 8187 to negate the SC message of primacy of life over the interest of private companies. This time, the area was re-classified as a heavy industrial zone -- allowing highly pollutive and extremely hazardous industries to operate here, including oil refineries. Thus, this allowed the oil depot to remain.In late 2012, Ordinance No. 8283 re-classified the area as a high-intensity commercial zone, thus giving the oil depot until 2016 to relocate, but it was vetoed by outgoing Mayor Alfredo Lim. Instead, proposals have been set forth to transfer the facilities to the North Harbor, still in the City of Manila. However, this is likewise a highly populated area and would not eradicate the hazards to life and property.In 2005, the University of the Philippines College of Medicine conducted the study, A Cross-Sectional Study on the Neurophysical Effects of Exposure to Refined Petroleum Products Amongst Adult Residents in Three Barangays near the Pandacan Oil Depot. Among the studys findings is that the number of cases of neurophysical disorders in the area have been progressively increasing. In the same year, a health survey proved that the air in and surrounding the oil depot contain high levels of Benzene. Benzene is known to increase the risk of cancer and wreaks havoc on the nervous, respiratory, and immune systems.The lament of Pandacan residentsAt present, an estimated 85,000 people live in Pandacan. Nearby, there are elementary and high schools, and across the Pasig River is the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with more than 60,000 students.There have been consistent calls from civic and church groups for relocation of the oil depot to an area far from the general population where it will not cause hazards to health, lives, and properties.Counter-arguments claim that this will mean a loss of income for the residents and the city. However, Antonio Santos, lifelong resident of Pandacan and president of AESJ (Advocates for Environmental and Social Justice) said: Only real estate taxes are paid to the City of Manila, the company taxes are paid to the City of Makati, where the companies are headquartered. And only 1,500 workers are employed within the oil depot -- many of them, not even residents of Manila, let alone Pandacan.AESJ is a coalition of organizations including South Balagtas Neighborhood Association (SBNA), Samahang Sariling Sikap, Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP), Teatro Balagtas (TBP), and Akbayan Dist. VI. It has been very vocal about the need to remove and rehabilitate the area known as the Pandacan Oil Depot.They have worked with many experts to draw up plans not only to remove the hazardous facilities but also to utilize the area that will be vacated.According to Santos, jobs will surely increase when the large complex is opened up to businesses as well as sports complex, cultural venues, entertainment centers, parks, hospital, schools, and low-cost housing. Not to mention, the unquantifiable benefits of a cleaner environment.Recent events have caused another stir in this century-old issue. Maybe this time, the studies will yield fruitful action that will benefit the majority of the stakeholders and citizensManila Clergy renews call vs Pandacan depotThe Archdiocese of Manila on Friday reaffirmed its stand against the continued operation of the Pandacan oil depot, saying it remains a grave threat to residents and the environment. In a statement issued days after former President Joseph Estrada took over as the citys new mayor, the archdiocese voiced its concern over what it considered to be the lukewarm attitude shown by both the national and local governments on the issue. [We] are concerned that the national and local government units only act when actual oil spills occur, it said. Last month, a mini-depot at the site, the one owned by Larraine Marketing, was found to have released thousands of liters of bunker fuel into the Pasig River while emitting gas fumes that caused panic among residents. At least four residents were hospitalized after experiencing difficulty in breathing. The oil spill also prompted an investigation by the city government. It is sad that action is only taken when damage has been done. What good governance urges are preventive action, sanction to the damaging company and more importantly, a pro people, pro poor development plan for the 33-hectare (area) once the oil depots relocate, it stressed.

Under the leadership of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, the archdiocese is set to hold a series of activities starting Aug. 31 dubbed Season of Creation, which will promote environmental causes in seminaries, parishes and communities. The archdiocese reiterated calls for the repeal of City Ordinance 8187 which classified Pandacan as an industrial zone, and for the strict enforcement of the Clean Water Act and Hazardous Waste Act. In September last year, then Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim vetoed the ordinance which calls for the depots closure, saying the move might give a bad impression among businesses and investors. The veto came a month after the council passed Ordinance 8283 reclassifying the area from being an industrial to a commercial zone and paving the way for the depots shutdown. Lim said he based his decision on the recommendations of then city legal officer Renato de la Cruz and secretary to the mayor, Rafaelito Garayblas. De la Cruz then explained that Ordinance 8283 failed to consider how the city would cope with the loss of income resulting from the depots closure and how its relocation would affect the fuel distribution system and even raise fuel prices in Metro Manila. With a report from Inquirer Research

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