Atienza creates oil depot task force

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza has created a task force to monitor compliance with the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the scaling down of operations entered into with the city government by the three big oil firms currently operating in Pandacan.

The task force was created by virtue of an executive order signed by Atienza on Sept. 20, 2002, designated by city administrator and former councilor Ernesto Dionisio.

The members of the task force are city engineer Magdiwang Recato, Western Police District director Senior Superintendent Pete Bulaong, Manila Fire Marshall Pablito Cordera and city electrician Ernesto Cuyugan.

"This task force was created to ensure that the three oil firms, Caltex, Shell and Petron, deliver on their commitments under the MOU," Atienza explained.

Among the commitments of the three oil firms under the MOU are the dismantling of 28 storage tanks containing the most hazardous petroleum products such as liquefied petroleum gas and aviation fuel, and the creation of a green buffer zone, which is actually a park, around the perimeter of the depot.