SAN SIMON, Pampanga — Alarms were raised over an impending large-scale environmental and health crisis posed on the residents here as harmful emissions from steel manufacturing facilities here remain unabated.
In a press briefing, San Simon Association of Barangay Captains president and ex-officio councilor Randie Flores alleged a high mortality rate and the emergence of pulmonary and related diseases obtained among residents, triggered largely by daily emissions of highly toxic air pollution and contaminants from several steel plants along Quezon Road.
“Almost 30% of our barangay’s total population has health issues due to the heavy pollutions brought about by mostly Chinese-owned steel smelting and manufacturing plants,” Flores revealed.
He identified five suspected major emitters of harmful particles and air contaminants particularly in Barangay San Isidro as WanChiong Steel Corp., Real Steel Corp., Altima Empire Steel Corp., SKK Steel Corp, and Melters Steel Corp.
He said that even before he assumed the chairmanship of Barangay San Isidro, these steel corporations have been the subjects of complaints of residents.
Flores narrated that in 2020, he filed a complaint against Melters Steel Corp for non-compliance of their pollution control devices (PCD). He later filed an affidavit of desistance after the corporation complied with the proper use of their PDC.
“But for the past weeks now, Melters Steel factory has been spewing thick smoke and harmful air pollutants and we are now preparing necessary legal measures to abate this irresponsible business operations of the steel company,” Flores stressed.
Another steel factory in the area, Wanchiong Steel Corp., has been “blatantly spewing even larger air pollutants on a daily basis.”
“These must all be stopped at the soonest possible time,” Flores said.
Flores said factors that contribute to the harmful emissions might be negligence on the part of the steel corporation’s outmoded and improper use of their PCDs as they had already found out long before.
Flores claimed some factories have lessened their smoke emission by using an electric arc furnace, a non-emitting pollution device but a number of them are still using in their factories induction technology, an old model, which causes the smoke.
“The emission is not totally cut, but with the use of the electric arc furnace it helps a lot to control pollution being spread in the community,” Flores added.
Flores recently sponsored in the sangguniang bayan Ordinance No.’23-003 – “An Ordinance Abandoning the Traditional Technology on Smelting Steel Scrap and Modernizing the Production of Steel Billets Attuned to the Environment-Protective Latest Technology within San Simon, Pampanga” which has already passed second reading.
He said during the time of the late Mayor Leonora Wong, she convened a regular tripartite team inspection quarterly. The members or the team consisted of the DENR, LGU, and barangay officials.
Flores, however, said the present administration of Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr., has not convened the tripartite team for the welfare of constituents here, particularly in the worst affected barangays of San Isidro, Sta. Monica, San Pablo Proper, San Pablo Libutad, and Dela Paz.
Flores also appealed to Punsalan to support and approve the ordinance to combat hazardous pollutants that are painting the San Simon skies black.
“Sama sama po tayo protektahan natin ang kalusugan ng ating mga kabalen kasama ng kalikasan,” he said. Punto News Team
