GSD File Photo by Cong B. Corrales
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By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

Vice mayor Joaquin Uy has asked the Committee on Energy, chaired by city councilor Teodulfo Lao, to look into an immediate passing of an ordinance prohibiting the illegal sale of petroleum products in the city.

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“This must be immediately reviewed and passed before the plenary considering that this will endanger the limbs and lives of our constituents,” Uy said.

He said the issue has been long overdue considering that it was discussed over several media outlets for the past several months and it appears nobody has been doing something about it.

Uy said there were at least two fire incidents which could be linked to the illegal sale of petroleum products according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reports. This incidents include in Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental that razed at least 20 residential buildings and commercial districts and the recent fire in Barangay Camaman-an, this city that burned down entire residential houses including a sari-sari store.

Last week, the proposed ordinance prohibiting any person from selling and retailing unsafe and sub-standard liquid petroleum products in the city using soda or plastic bottles, jugs and other similar portable containers and providing penalty for violations was only discussed during the meeting of the committee on energy.

During the meeting, Lao said the gathering is considered as public hearing. It was attended by almost all barangay chairman of the city, department heads of City Hall, Department of Energy (DOE) officials, petroleum dealers and Acting City Police Director Senior Supt. Ronnie Francis Cariaga.

Uy said the proposed ordinance would be known as the Illegal “Bote-bote” Retailing of Liquid Petroleum Products Ordinance of 2016.

He said the proposed ordinance emphasizes the safety and protection of the people as the foremost and primordial concern of the government as embodied in the 1987 Constitution and the Local Government Code of 1994. It also classifies liquid petroleum fuels as highly combustible and flammable products that may eventually cause fire, health risk due to inhalation of hazardous fumes and contribute undesirable effects to the environment that subsequently requires proper storage and handling as provided in the Fore Code of the Philippines.

The ordinance cites that the proliferation and rampant selling of retailed-liquid petroleum products are obvious and may be sourced from illegal activities such as smuggling, pilferage and theft which deprive the city government of revenues from business permit, licensing, pump calibration fee and other charges which are collected from legitimate pumping gas stations, he reads part of the ordinance.

He said peddling and vending of liquid fuels anywhere other than in legitimate pumping gas stations may deny the public of proper quality and quantity of the products they purchase by the motorist.

Kinahanglan nga sabton kita sa mga nagetail ani diha sa kadalanan og mga tindahan tungod kay makahatag kini og kakuyaw kanatong tanan,” he pointed out.

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