Sunday, September 24, 2006 Nalzaro: Maambong's pointless resolution By Bobby Nalzaro
Local legislative bodies are expected to craft ordinances, resolutions and other measures that will support local legislative agenda and benefit majority of the citizenry. Unfortunately, some legislators sponsor measures without considering implications and their negative impact on some sectors and the community.
Here’s an example. The Cebu Provincial Board unanimously passed in its regular session last Monday a resolution authored by Member Victor Maambong urging the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 to suspend the operation of taxi units using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel.
This following last week's explosion at Gene's Laundry Shop in Basak, Mandaue City that killed two persons and injured 11 others.
The accident, caused by a leaking LPG tank, alarmed and worried LPG users, including passengers of LPG-operated vehicles. Local officials immediately ordered their respective fire departments and Office of the Building Official (OBO) to conduct routine inspections on establishments using LPG, like bakeries and laundry shops.
Maambong quickly rode on the issue by sponsoring the resolution. I don't know what was in the mind of the Board Member from the province's sixth district when he did it. The suspension of the operation of LPG-powered taxicabs was supposedly until the draft LPG safety standard pending with the Department of Energy will be approved.
I would remind Maambong that the laundry shop explosion involved big LPG tanks designed for big establishments. So why would he single out in his resolution LPG-powered taxi units? Note that the design of the tanks and regulators of LPG-powered vehicles is different from those being used in most households.
Can Maambong point to a specific case that will illustrate the danger posed by LPG-powered vehicles? Some taxi units have been using LPG as fuel since the ‘80s and there has been no fuel-related accident involving them.
Maambong should have invited an LPG dealer to talk on safety before the Board passed the resolution. If he finds out that LPG is really dangerous, then he might as well move to ban its production.
I don't know why the other Board Members supported that pointless resolution. Did Maambong know the implication of his move or, God forbid, if LTFRB accedes to it? How many operators and drivers will suffer?
