MEMBERS of the Apalit Municipal Council ordered on February 7 the suspension of alleged “renovation” works being done at a closed steel plant in the town for lack of necessary permits.
Nearly three years since it was closed down, the local government of Apalit conducted an ocular inspection of the Stronghold Steel Corporation plant located along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Paligui after the councilors were alarmed over the supposed “renovation” activities that were seen and monitored inside the smelting plant without the knowledge of the local government.
According to committee on environment and natural resources protection chairman Councilor Sanny Mendoza, Stronghold Steel Corporation (formerly Milwaukee Steel Corporation) ceased its operations in 2015 after allegedly filing bankruptcy before the Securities and Exchange Commission.
It could also be remembered that after the plant’s shut down, dozens of its workers trooped to and protested in front of the smelting plant after allegedly not receiving the full amount of their separation pay based on the labor law.
Mendoza said that after confirming there are renovation activities conducted inside the plant, the council convened to schedule an ocular inspection and meet with the steel plant management to confirm their plans for business.
“We were alarmed upon seeing renovation activities implemented without our knowledge or even the Municipal Engineering Office. They were conducting renovation without securing a building or renovating permit and that is a violation,” he said.
During the inspection, the councilors confirmed from Stronghold Steel Corporation manager Victor Cua and representative Nathaniel Canlas that there were indeed activities conducted inside the smelting plant, but clarified they were just housekeeping jobs.
Canlas clarified that activities ongoing are mere housekeeping jobs, which they started since the new owner acquired the plant in November 2017.
He said the housekeeping jobs started after the former plant general manager he identified as Ruben Go informed them that he is already in communication with the local government to secure the necessary permits.
“Based on the information he relayed on us, he said that all is well that is why we pursued this. But the activities conducted here are only for housekeeping, like cleaning the debris left and looking for possible repair. The biggest so far is the replacement of the roof,” Canlas said.
Asked what their plans are, Canlas said the management intends to continue the smelting business but its formal operation might start after more than a year as there are lots to repair and rehabilitate inside the plant.
He said the management is also set to install modern anti-pollution devices to ensure that they will not violate any environmental and health laws.
Despite such statements, Mendoza told the plant management to immediately suspend all activities inside the plant until they secure the necessary permit or the Municipal Council will issue a cease and desist order.
To pursue their business, Mendoza also told the management to submit first a letter of intent to the local government and conduct a public hearing with residents of Barangay Sampaloc and Paligui who will be greatly affected should the smelting plant resume operations.
“During the time of both Milwaukee and Stronghold, there were a lot of environmental and health issues due to the pollution they emit and unless they are sure that they can address that, we won’t let them operate,” he said.
Mendoza also said that an ordinance downgraded the area, where the smelting plant stands, from a heavy industrial zone to a commercial and residential zone only. The ordinance is currently being read at the Provincial Board.
He said the local government and the smelting plant must first find out the status of the ordinance and if it will be binding for their type of business.
“Since the plant is non-operational for years, we thought of downgrading the zoning plan in the area and if the ordinance will be passed, then the smelting and whatever anti-pollution device they install cannot operate in this area,” he said.
The smelting plant management, meanwhile, vowed to comply with all the requirements first before they pursue all their planned activities.