BSL denies hand in facility’s closure
MAYOR Benjamin Lim is now washing his hands off the temporary closure of the Seafood Processing Plant that has affected about 100 workers and several distributors who failed to meet their customer’s orders.
“I have nothing to do with the closure of the fish processing plant,” Lim said in a statement issued last Friday.
“Ang nagpasara ay ang Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) office mismo, hindi gaya ng sinasabi nila na ang ciudad ang nagpasara. In fact, I am not even aware na nag-o-operate na pala ang naturang plant. Mismong ang BFAR ang nakasita na nag-o-operate na pala ang naturang planta under Rosario,” said Lim.
He was referring to Dr. Westley Rosario, chief of the National Integrated Fisheries Technology and Development Center (NIFTDC), which is under BFAR, and appointed interim manager of the plant.
He insisted that his office never rejected application for a business permit contrary to media reports because there was no application until last week. However, news of the closure and its impact were reported by media but no word was heard from the city hall about an intent to help ease the dilemma of the plant.
The plant’s temporary closure beginning October 8 was signed by Atty Benjamin Tabios Jr., BFAR’s officer-in-charge but the order made no reference to any oficial notice issued by the Dagupan City government as basis for the unilateral closure of the plant.
“Ang concern ko lang diyan ay yung mga taong pinangakoan nila ng trabaho na hanggang ngayun ay wala pang trabaho. Isa pa, dapat matiyak natin na malinis ang kanilang operasyon kasi pagkain ang pinag-uusapan natin dito. Dapat meron silang sanitary permit. Other than that wala na akong paki-alam kung sino man ang gumagamit diyan,” he said in a statement issued by the city hall.
“Ang balita ko kasi ang mga gumagamit diyan may Maramba ang apelyedo, yung isa Fernandez at yung isa ay may ari yata ng isang malaking shopping mall dito sa ciudad,” he was quoted.
MEETING WITH BFAR
The mayor met in August with Atty. Asis Perez, BFAR director, wherein Lim raised the legality of the resolution passed in June 2010 by the Dagupan City council under the previous administration handling the management of the plant to the BFAR.
Lim has repeatedly said publicly that he wants the management and operations of the plant to be handled by the city government.
The Seafood Processing Plant, owned by Dagupan City, was built through a P100 million grant from the South Korean government secured in 2007 by former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. who was then congressman of the 4th District.
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