Rehab of Makati condo hit by oil leak to be finished by yearend

THE FIRST Philippine Industrial Corp. (FPIC) on Tuesday said it expects to finish the rehabilitation and restoration of West Tower Condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City, by the end of the year.

“We have been progressing at a steady pace in our rehabilitation efforts … and we hope to finish everything before the close of the year,” said FPIC president Tony Mabasa in a statement.

Residents will only be allowed to return to the building if post-rehabilitation inspection of the site by the Makati City government, the Department of Health and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources warrants such a move, he added.

But the building’s residents expressed doubts about the FPIC’s announcement, and instead reiterated their challenge to its officials to stay in the building to see for themselves how it is to live in West Tower.

“Making the building habitable doesn’t mean it’s safe,” said unit owner Manuel Chuaunsu. “Our challenge to them still stands: Move in yourself first. Stay in the building for six months to one year. We’re offering it for free. We want them first to experience living there with their families. After they do it, that’s the only time we’ll go back home,” he said.

“We made the same offer to them earlier. We even offered to them the building’s penthouse, but they refused. Why, because they knew it’s not safe. Now why would they risk our lives?” he added.

Chuaunsu said that even after the restoration and rehabilitation of the building is over, “the fact remains that the building is still sitting on soil inundated with fuel. So it’s still hazardous.”

The condominium was shut down after oil was found to be seeping into the basement in July 12 last year. The leak was later traced to the FPIC pipeline—part of which runs along the Osmeña Highway near the building—which transports fuel products from Batangas province to the Pandacan oil depots in Manila.

Mabasa said FPIC and its contractors were able to make proper and complete assessments of the condominium’s rehabilitation needs and proceed with their restoration activities after they were granted by the West Tower management full access to the building early last month.

The FPIC earlier accused the residents of causing delays in their cleanup and rehabilitation work.

Nards Ablaza, head of the FPIC’s Bangkal remediation project, said the rehabilitation plan for West Tower condominium “encompasses aesthetic, electromechanical and environmental rehabilitation.”