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Ethyl plant re-defy closure demand

MANAOAG, PANGASINAN (Jan. 27) — Alko Distillers once again defied a local government order for its closure.

For almost seven years now, villagers have been demanding the local government to issue a Cease and Desist (CDO) order to Alko Distillers, Inc., owner of the plant facility manufacturing not just ethyl alcohol, but “pollutants endangering lives” according to disgruntled residents.

Resisting to close for the fourth time now, the firm has sworn both to the local government and residents that it would clean up and adopt a more effective means of waste disposal, such as aerobic treatment of fumes emitted.

But the treatment, done during a two-week suspension in December did not satisfy the affected villages of Baritao, Mermer, Pantal and San Ramon.

Virgie Alejo, acting leader of the petitioners who filed complaints thrice in September, said the odor persists as the firm ignores to contain its waste (a mass of black, acidic matter afloat in three parcels of farmlands) in a septic tank to seal the pollutant.

After the local government admitted that the firms resumed operations in December last year due to a check-up failure, it permitted the firm to operate for the second time after the firm pleaded to change its waste management system again.

Affected villagers were desperate for help and Alejo appealed to media to expose the issue, even raising money to divulge it to a popular investigative program of a television network.

Alejo said the health concerns are such that children often miss their classes due to illnesses and some have even dropped out of school.

The firm owners, on the other hand executed various forms of compromise from technical, social to legal aspects to win the support of the residents but all these apparently, failed.

Arsenio Angelito, 64, a resident analyzes the issue differently. He said local officials from major posts down to the village captain, were included in the ‘payroll priority’ of the firm. “Suweldo” he said ranges from P4,500 to P30,000 which goes straight to the rosters of politicians, and even government agencies.

Angelito was a former payroll officer at the plant which used to be a sugar factory ran by Hind Sugar Corp. Alko Distillers opted to produce ethyl since it took over in 1999.

Affected residents demand the plant’s closure after they reportedly contracted respiratory diseases such as asthma which they attribute to the stinking emissions off from the facility.

The local government is set to check for the second time the firm’s remedy on the matter. # Jhong dela Cruz for NORDIS

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