Lim has until Sept. 8 to veto law removing oil firms from Pandacan

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim has only until Sept. 8 or Saturday to veto ordinance no. 7461, a local law, which will pave the way for the removal of oil refineries in Pandacan, according to Ernesto “Jong” C. Isip, 3rd district councilor of Manila.

Isip, spokesperson of the city council said a copy of the resolution was forwarded to Lim’s office on Aug. 29 and and it required the Manila mayor to act on it within 10 days.

“If the mayor does not act on it by September 8, the ordinance under the law will automatically become a law,” Isip said in a forum at the Aloha Hotel on Wednesday

Under the new zoning ordinance of Manila, the Pandacan depot area, which was previously considered an industrial zone, was re-classified as a commercial zone.

He explained that if the oil refineries were removed, the 36 hectares of land in Pandacan would be used as a “commercial or a mix use zone, where commercial establishments and residential buildings could be established.’’

“The new developments in the area are expected to generate livelihood and jobs for the city,’’ he said.

He added that no company or firm has submitted plans for the huge land area to be vacated by the oil depots.

He added that if the local ordinance took effect, oil companies would have six months to remove their depots from the city.