(Continued from yesterday)
(LAST PART)

Scare-mongering heats up anew versus the Pandacan oil depots.

The scale of issues no longer centers just on potential security threats, but also on ‘science question’ that the oil terminals may be destroying ecological balance in areas where they operate.

These same concerns have been the subject of full-throttle debates in various stakeholder dialogues and consultations, pleadings and even oral arguments before the Courts just to flesh out reasons why or why not the oil terminals be allowed an extended stay in their current site.

Although the oil companies’ opponents may strenuously deny that the whole thing smells of a political plot, it is puzzling that the fixing strategy misses some points -- primarily the economic consequences for the country and the opportunity and job losses that may ensue with the closure or relocation of the depots and other industrial firms in Manila.

With roughly 10,000 Filipinos losing their jobs, that also redounds to ‘security threats’ on human existence.

No question that even Barack Obama, president of the world’s most powerful country, is grappling to provide employment opportunities for his constituency. In fact, reports of weaker-than-expected employment figures in the United States are still crashing hopes of any immediate global economic recovery.

The oil companies’ imprimatur to subject their depot operations to a third party risk assessment opens a perfect venue for all parties concerned to lay their cards on the table and verify presumptions.

“We hope that the third party assessment will lay all the issues to rest by providing an objective and fact-based evaluation of the Pandacan depot’s safety and environmental management systems,” Mr. Recto noted.

The independent risk assessment, according to Mr. Kanapi, shall be undertaken on a very transparent process and the results will also be made public. The oil firms proposed tapping risk assessor that is among the world’s top 10, and should be of high competence and credibility. He explained that the selection process will involve all concerned stakeholders, including the Church, government, business and city hall officials.

Primacy of human lives

Sure, human lives are of highest importance, and that cannot be bargained at any price or whatever magnitude of investment dollars. But what if problem-assessments are merely anchored on wrong assumptions?

Be cautioned that there is also what they call “the tragedy of wrong solutions”.

The Atienza et al filing at the Supreme Court cited the explosion of an oil tanker near the exit gate of Pandadacan terminals in January 2008 as an example of a security threat. But shouldn’t danger be lurking larger if we let more oil tankers on the road when the depots are relocated somewhere else?

“Safety of our personnel and safety of the community has always been a priority. We hope the study will allay safety concerns,” Mr. Quebral enthused.

No wizard of any kind can just readily conclude that since the ‘Twin Towers’ in New York and the five-star hotels in Jakarta were attacked by terrorists, the oil depots are automatically probable targets. Or to say that: since oil is labeled as a ‘dirty fuel’, it pollutes the Pasig River.

Hard facts, evidence and analysis of data can’t just be simply missed out or set aside here. For the ‘true wizards’ of policymaking, these are the problem-solving tools that will guide them into decision-making processes.

Operational standards

The manner of operations at the Pandacan depots, the oil companies explained, goes through arrays of checks and also follows environment, health and safety standards.

Apart from the propounded independent risk assessment, the oil firms said the Pandacan oil facilities are being subjected to regular safety and environmental third party inspections by the DENR, Department of Energy, Bureau of Fire Protection, Laguna Lake Development Authority and the Manila City government, among others, as a way of ensuring that they adhere to stringent safety, security and environmental standards.

On the sphere of security, Mr. Recto said “we have hundreds of security personnel deployed in the area, augmented by the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.” He added that they are also provided with up-to-date intelligence which is “essential in dealing with threats, perceived or actual, against the facility.”

The Pandacan Depot Services Inc. (PDSI) is similarly mandated to comply with all local and national laws, such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Solid Waste Management Act and the Hazardous Waste and Nuclear Waste Management Act.

“We have also been adhering to recognized international standards and protocols,” Mr. Quebral added, among these are the engineering standards of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the fire safety standards of the National Fire Safety Administration (NFSA); the International Ship and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) Code; and the International Marine Pollution (MARPOL) Agreement.

Industrial pollution concerns

To begin with, the oil companies clarified that there are no processing activities being undertaken within the terminal. The environmental compliance reports submitted to the DENR, they said, would best dispel allegations that the depots contribute pollution to the Pasig River.

“We are a storage and blending facility, thus, we do not generate process water. If we have to release water, it is tested and has shown that it is way below the allowable effluent standards,” Mr. Quebral said, stressing that had they violated any standard, their permit to operate should have already been revoked.

Petron added aside from the concrete walls in the tank farms, “internal floaters have been placed in our tanks to ensure against an overflow of any product tank and minimize vapor build-up.”

It went on to say that the depots are equipped with “state-of-the-art environmental systems, including oily water separators to make certain that any water discharge meets the applicable environmental standards.” In previous engagements, stakeholders were presented samples of the depots’ water discharge, and it has been reported that it so far exceeded standards.

“As a storage facility for petroleum products, the Pandacan terminal does not contribute to pollution in the Pasig River. Every liter of fuel is monitored through every step of the supply chain to ensure that there is no loss or wastage. And if we have, at any time, violated any environmental laws, we would have been subject to notice of violations from the DENR,” Mr. Recto stressed.

Forthrightly, apart from general assumptions and leaning to ‘precautionary principle’, the Manila residents’ pending case at the high court seems naught of specific violations directed against the operations of the Pandacan depots.

In the prefatory statement of the petition filed at the high court, it noted: “media have finally trained their sights on the ill effects of pollution, the destruction of forests and other critical habitats, oil spills and the unabated improper disposal of garbage.” Truly we do, and we also analyze our issues to separate the facts from fiction, hence, we expect our sources and policymakers to do the same.

We can be driven by fears, but we cannot also deny that every facet of modern life relies heavily on energy -- oil being one of the major components.

It underpins the country’s economic growth which supports the satisfaction of basic needs of a growing population.

When leaders and policymakers fail in scouring for a solution to a particular problem, it will similarly inflict collateral damage on people and the impact will come round to harm the rest of society. The end does not justify the means.