ETHYL PLANT 05-03-13

	Nordis Weekly, March 13, 2005
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Ethyl plant closed
MANAOAG, Pangasinan (Mar. 9) — Complaining residents of Barrio Baritao here can now breathe good air as the local government terminated the operation of an ethyl plant in this village. The Sangguniang Bayan in a special session on Feb. 26 has finally decided to close down Alko Distillers, Inc. acting on the petition passed by the complainants for the fourth time since 1999. The plant, a former sugarcane plantation and factory ran by Hinds Sugar Company in 1940s was taken over in 1998 by Alko Distillers. The plant stopped operating on Friday. About 3,000 residents in Barrio Baritao and nearby Mermer, Pantal and San Ramon have been bearing the brunt of foul smell emitted from the waste pits of the plant. The foul smell is believed to be the culprit to corroding roofs, damaged crops and respiratory ailments developed mostly among youngsters. Dr. Tony de Guzman, General Practitioner at the Speaker Eugenio Perez Memorial Hospital also located in the village where residents run for check-ups and recuperation said nebulization is a regular treatment to asthma. Pastor Romeo Ramos of Manaoag Better Baptist Church said, “Worshippers can now praise our Creator undisturbed because they need not cover their nose from the smell. Ramos said, “What concerns us most are the young ones who have been in and out of the hospital and were hindered from going to school because of ailments.” Some children age 8 and below have reportedly shown early signs of tuberculosis. He criticized the local government “for putting priority on the big revenue collections rendered by the firm instead of the concerns of the community”. The owners of the plant in a suspension in December last year have implemented measures such as installing digester that traps emitted gasses which are turned to fuel, but this apparently has not won the disgruntled residents. The issue was featured in Imbestigador aired on Saturday. This has put more pressure for the local officials to act more decisively, says Ramos. # Jhong dela Cruz for NORDIS
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	Nordis Weekly, March 13, 2005
Home \| To bottom	Previous \| Next
Ethyl plant closed
MANAOAG, Pangasinan (Mar. 9) — Complaining residents of Barrio Baritao here can now breathe good air as the local government terminated the operation of an ethyl plant in this village. The Sangguniang Bayan in a special session on Feb. 26 has finally decided to close down Alko Distillers, Inc. acting on the petition passed by the complainants for the fourth time since 1999. The plant, a former sugarcane plantation and factory ran by Hinds Sugar Company in 1940s was taken over in 1998 by Alko Distillers. The plant stopped operating on Friday. About 3,000 residents in Barrio Baritao and nearby Mermer, Pantal and San Ramon have been bearing the brunt of foul smell emitted from the waste pits of the plant. The foul smell is believed to be the culprit to corroding roofs, damaged crops and respiratory ailments developed mostly among youngsters. Dr. Tony de Guzman, General Practitioner at the Speaker Eugenio Perez Memorial Hospital also located in the village where residents run for check-ups and recuperation said nebulization is a regular treatment to asthma. Pastor Romeo Ramos of Manaoag Better Baptist Church said, “Worshippers can now praise our Creator undisturbed because they need not cover their nose from the smell. Ramos said, “What concerns us most are the young ones who have been in and out of the hospital and were hindered from going to school because of ailments.” Some children age 8 and below have reportedly shown early signs of tuberculosis. He criticized the local government “for putting priority on the big revenue collections rendered by the firm instead of the concerns of the community”. The owners of the plant in a suspension in December last year have implemented measures such as installing digester that traps emitted gasses which are turned to fuel, but this apparently has not won the disgruntled residents. The issue was featured in Imbestigador aired on Saturday. This has put more pressure for the local officials to act more decisively, says Ramos. # Jhong dela Cruz for NORDIS
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