Wednesday, November 15, 2006 City Hall decides fate of gas depot By Danilo V. Adorador III
AS CITY Hall weighs the possible closure of an auto-gas refilling station here for safety and environmental concerns, an official assured the firm it "will be given its day in court."
Majority Floor Leader Edgar Cabanlas said complaints against the Pryce Gases-owned auto-gas station in Barangay Gusa "will be thoroughly evaluated," and that City Hall will not impose arbitrary sanctions -- such as the City Council-backed temporary closure -- if the company has complied with government safety regulations.
Around 100 families have complained that the refilling station near their residence in Gusa emits foul odor, and may endanger their homes in the event the stored flammable gas cylinders explode.
Pryce Gases maintains two depots catering liquefied petroleum gas for LPG-powered vehicles.
Although he supported Monday a resolution requesting Mayor Vicente Emano to issue a cease and desist order against the refilling station, Cabanlas said he and his colleagues also took into account that the firm would not start operating without complying with the safety standards set by the Department of Energy.
Emano is expected to decide this week whether to have the gas depot temporarily closed or remand the complaints to an appropriate City Council committee.
But Councilor Simeon Licayan pointed out that the firm's failure to secure a business permit prior to the start of its formal operations may boost the possibility of it being ordered closed.
"Technically, businesses operating while their permits are under scrutiny are doing it on their own risk. Permits are always needed, especially during surprise inspections by government agencies," Licayan said.
