MALOLOS CITY—Village officials of Loma de Gato in Marilao town want the chemical treatment company hit by an explosion on Wednesday to relocate.
This came as the sangguniang barangay led by Chairman Boyet Pascual unanimously agreed in principle on Thursday night’s meeting which was attended by residents affected by the blast.
Rufino Concepcion, a village councilman, told Punto in a telephone interview that they just voiced out the sentiments of the residents.
“They are afraid that the blast will happen again,” Concepcion said.
He said that the decision of the Sangguniang Barangay ran counter to the earlier demand of outgoing Mayor Efipanio Guillermo for temporary stoppage of operations of the WT Treat Chemical Treatment Company.
The said decision is a reversal of the permit given by the sangguniang barangay last year.
Concepcion recounted that WT Treat was not a threat until it changed its business operations.
He said that for many years, the said company is known as DY Company that manufactured plastics products.
Last year the company decided to apply for a barangay permit to treat chemicals but it was opposed by Concepcion and some residents who signed a petition.
The opposition stemmed from comments from officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that operating a chemical treatment company near a residential area poses danger.
“It is like a vindication,” Concepcion said referring to Thursday night’s decision of the sangguniang barangay.
As this developed, Pascual announced on Thursday night that WT Treat is ready to provide assistance to affected residents.
However, he said that they will have to wait for a few weeks as the company wait for money from their insurance company.
On Wednesday, a tank inside the compound of WT Treat exploded which some residents initially thought was a bomb.
The blast damaged at least 30 houses, the worst hit of which is owned by Julia Abierta, a 75 year old widow.
Annie Balingit, a goddaughter of Abiertas said her godmother is still shaken by the explosion.
A medical technologist, Balingit advised her godmother to see a doctor for medical check up along with her three grandchildren.
