ATING Koop party-list and environment groups Sulog and Task Force Macajalar (TFM) threw their support to Molugan Bantay Kalikasan (MBK) in Barangay Molugan, El Salvador City in its opposition against the proposed opening of an oil depot there.
Ating Koop Rep. Isidro Lico said putting up the oil depot within the residential area will clearly bring danger to the people living there.
Seaoil will build and operate its oil depot where the defunct Timber Industries of the Philippines (Tipi) used to stand.
“This is really very dangerous for the people around Opol and Molugan. Look at what happened in Pandacan,” he said, referring to the oil spill caused by the oil depot there.
He added that the effect of the oil depot on the environment brings more disadvantages especially to the rich marine diversity found in the area.
“The beaches will no longer be useful and it will affect the fisher folks’ livelihood,” Lico said.
Ralph Abragan, Sulog vice chair, also expressed support to MBK.
“We just wanted to have a copy of the documents so that we can also lobby to the Environmental Management Bureau Region 10 the disadvantages of the oil depot,” Abragan told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Molugan residents rallied last week to oppose the proposed five-hectare oil depot of Seaoil, located only few meters away from the seashore.
MBK chair Nicandro Borja said the proposed oil depot will surely endanger the lives of the people and the marine sanctuary in the area.
He said the small fishermen there will be mostly affected by the proposed oil depot as it will likely contaminate the sea, making it unsafe for the fishes to thrive and the people to swim.
However, Molugan barangay chair Virgilio Cumba said the barangay council and his office has yet to look into the application of Seaoil to put up an oil depot.
Barangay Councilor Eugene Soldevillo said Seaoil has already submitted its documents on Thursday as it was given until July 10 to tender their proposal for the council to review on.
Soldevillo said that during their previous session, which was attended by a representative from the Coastal Management Section of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the village council impelled Seaoil to submit all the requirements needed for review before the conduct of a public consultation on July 19.
“The barangay council will convene on July 15 together with representatives from DENR and Seaoil to discuss the dos and don’ts of the project,” he said.
Borja, meanwhile, said they will be conducting another round of protest action on July 19 where more residents are expected to join and march toward the barangay council during the scheduled public.