Suspended Guagua mayor to return to office today
GUAGUA— He’s back or supposed to be.
This town’s Mayor Dante Torres, who was earlier meted a threemonth suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman, is expected to resume his functions today.
It can be recalled that the Office of the Ombudsman in Manila has ordered the three-month suspension of Torres for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty.
Docketed under L-A16-0136 which was approved last October 24, 2016 by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, the order of suspension of Torres was served by the Department
This was learned from Real Steel Corporation General Manager Melody Arellano in an exclusive interview with Sun.Star Pampanga yesterday.
Arellano said that the permit was granted after the smelting plant passed the air pollution test conducted to prove its compliance with the environmental laws. Earlier, the plant earned the ire of residents who complained about the smog and “stinky” air it emits.
Prior to the pollution test, Arellano said that the management rehabilitated and upgraded their air pollution control devices and purchased the latest technology from China and US as part of its compliance measures.
To control the plant’s smoke emission, she added that they closed the ventilations of the factory and installed blowers from the surface and ceiling of the shop to let the smoke circulate around the area instead of venting.
Aside from these, that they also installed a new air pollution device with water sprinkler to help dissolve particles in the air and removed the chimney in front of the plant and put six exhaust fans as replacement.
“It was a big challenge for a heavy industry like us to eradicate pollution but with serious efforts and coordination with experts and the community, we have proven it is not impossible,” she said.
Arellano also noted that being the youngest smelting plant in San Simon town, one of Real Steel Corporation’ goals is to improve and not exploit the environment and community around it by ensuring that problems addressed to them will be resolved.
And being the first smelting plant to secure a permit to operate from DENR in this town, Arellano also disclosed that management wants to set a high standard of compliance and be a model of their industry in San Simon and possibly in the country.
It could be remembered that based from the ambient air sampling and emission test, Real Steel Corporation has surpassed the standard air quality index (AQI) of 150 after it recorded a 120 AQI.
She urged the other steel plants along Quezon road to comply with environmental laws and help show to the people that industrialization does not equate pollution and destroying the environment as a whole.
In a statement, the management meanwhile, expressed gratitude to local and national officials for assisting and joining them in their bid to protect and preserve the environment while doing business.
“We highly extend our appreciation to honorable former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Governor Lilia Pineda, Mayor Leonora Wong, former Mayor Digos Canlas, Vice-Mayor Honorato Almario, the whole local government and Barangay San Isidro Captain Randy Flores for helping us accomplish our pollution reduction project. Rest assured that we will also be extending our assistance to the government and the community as our way of gratitude,” the management said.