Authorities see 'nightmare' in possible Pandacan oil depot accident

Saturday night's oil spill from a warehouse in Sta. Ana, Manila, has reminded Manila residents of the possible catastrophe that awaits them due to the continuous stay of the Pandacan oil depot.

For Fire Chief Inspector Renato Marcial of the Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region (BFP-NCR), a potential fire in the Pandacan oil depot will be a “firefighting nightmare.”

Former Manila mayor Lito Atienza echoed this, saying a potential fire or explosion in the Pandacan oil depot will be uncontrollable and will affect most of Metro Manila, including Malacañang.



"Yung sunod na magaganap pag sumabog 'yung 300M litrong gasolina diyan ay walang makapagpipigil," said Atienza, who favors the depot's closure, in a report on GMA News TV's "News To Go" on Tuesday.

The issue on the depot's transfer was elevated to Malacañang in October last year after Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim vetoed for the second time an ordinance from the city council that would have led to the facility's closure.

Malacañang, however, has yet to decide on it, with presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda saying the government trusts oil companies in ensuring the safety of the facility.

“I think the oil companies have the responsibility and the technical know how to ensure the safety of their oil depots,” he said.

A 2001 study showed that the oil depot’s location, in terms of proximity to Malacañang and the rest of the Metro Manila area, can prove to be dangerous during a terrorist attack, especially since it holds 300M liters of oil.



The study also noted that a potential oil spill in Pandacan will result to oil not just in the Pasig River, but also in nearby Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay, as well as small esteros all over NCR.



The Department of Energy has asked for a thorough study before recommending the final transfer of the Pandacan oil depot, noting that the transfer could also carry its own risks. — Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News