Gas station debate thrown back to Brgy. Pantal
WHAT appeared to be a simple case of having a gas station in the community has become a contentious issue not only for the residents but for the city council of Dagupan.
So like the proverbial hot potato, the Dagupan City council decided to throw the application of a business group to construct a gas station along Arellano Street back to the barangay council of Pantal, for the latter to conduct a public hearing and to submit its final decision whether a gas station should be built in the area.
This was decided during a public hearing conducted on Wednesday by the city council’s committee on public utilities on the plan of Rael Kits Corporation to put up a gasoline station in the thickly populated area.
Councilor Karlos Reyna, committee chairman, noted that although the Pantal barangay council already passed a resolution interposing no objection to the project, it did not call for a public hearing among the affected barangay residents.
A barangay official of Pantal said the barangay’s action was made on the strength of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued to the project proponent by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and after an ocular inspection of the proposed site.
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Samuel Songcuan explained that the ECC issued by his office to the proponent does not preclude other government agencies from imposing their respective regulations over the project.
Meanwhile, Manuel Palaganas, a city zoning officer, has certified that Arellano Street is a commercial center and that the proponent has complied with all the zoning regulations.
Residents of Arellano Street headed by Dr. Edwin Aguirre, Arnulfo Chuchip and Teddy Siapno, all prominent civic leaders in the city, questioned the proposed project, pointing out that a gas station poses health and life hazard to the community.
Although Arellano Street is classified as a commercial area, City Health Officer Leonard Carbonell insists that the construction of a gasoline station still requires an Environmental Health Assessment as required by the National Sanitation Law.
A gasoline station, like cell sites, are deemed health sensitive projects and, therefore, subject of prior environmental health assessment that includes scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment for review by a proper committee.
Pantal Barangay Chair Lilia Yazar agreed to hold a public hearing for residents within the 1,000 meter radius of the proposed location of the gasoline station.
Councilor Alfredo Quinto joined Reyna in conducting the public hearing.—LM
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments