Binay: FPIC must have timetable, deadline

MANILA, Philippines - Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay called on the First Philippines Industrial Corp. (FPIC) yesterday to set a definite deadline on its promise to fix a leak in its petroleum pipeline, which has adversely affected the residents of the West Tower Condominium in Barangay Bangkal.

“I understand the feelings of the West Tower residents who want to return to their units. That is why we are insisting that FPIC must have a timetable... The city engineer’s office will make sure that FPIC will comply with the timetable they will set. We need a definite timetable,” he said.

Residents of the West Tower Condominium on Monday declared the building as condemned, a year after the leak was first detected.

Architect Bobby Dimayuga, president of the West Tower Homeowners Association, said they decided to pull out all the security guards they hired to protect their valuables from their respective units due to the failure of FPIC to fulfill its promise to remedy the leak in its oil pipeline that runs underneath the basement of the West Tower building.

Dimayuga said they are also set to file a complaint against FPIC for its failure to fix the building and to comply with the ruling of the Supreme Court pertaining to a Writ of Kalikasan.

Meanwhile, Binay said the Makati City government has tapped the expertise of a Filipino pipe expert based in the United States to assess the condition of the leaking FPIC pipeline, which crosses a large portion of the city. Binay said the pipe expert will determine if the FPIC is still viable.

“We will then send a report to the Department of Energy. If it can no longer be used, we will recommend its closure,” he said.