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[av_heading heading=’ Residents propose closure of Pandan’s fiberglass boat firm’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
Jun N. Aguirre
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Tuesday, June 27, 2017
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PANDAN, Antique – Some 125 residents of Barangay Patria, Pandan, Antique urged Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Roy Cimatu to close a fiberglass boat factory in the barangay.
In a nine-page signature campaign, the residents claimed they are opposing the operation of South Sea Craft Builder.
The residents said the factory is a few meters away from a school; children are at risk to pollutants.
They alleged that several residents already died due to respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis.
“The children were advised by their attending physicians to move away from the fiberglass factory,” the residents said.
Further, they claimed the fiberglass factory burns its wastes just along the shore.
“That at high tide, the unburned wastes of the fiber glass were carried by waves to the sea and have been also affecting the coral reefs,” they said.
“We urge for DENR secretary Roy Cimatu, who has the power to issue and revoke the Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) whether there is any or not, to cause the closure of Sea Craft’s fiberglass product manufacturing facility in Barangay Patria,” they added.
The fiberglass factory in the barangay has been operating for almost 10 years already. It produces boats mostly for Boracay Island.
The Maritime Industry Authority has ordered the banning of wooden boats by 2018, forcing operators to buy fiberglass boats as one of their options.
The management of South Sea Craft Builder could not be reach for comments./PN
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