BAGUIO CITY—Mayor Mauricio Domogan has called on owners of environmentally critical businesses, like cement batching plants, to stay away from populated areas in the city if they do not want to be subjected to constant complaints that will definitely affect their operations.
He claimed the completeness of the permits issued to cement batching plant operators like the one based in Camp 7 is no guarantee the plant will not be ejected from the area because of valid complaints from the neighborhood.
“We do not want to antagonize investors in our city but they should also consider the effects of their businesses to their neighborhood prior to the establishment of their facilities in populated areas in the city,” Domogan stressed.
He said the interest of the greater majority will always be top consideration in deciding complaints lodged against the operation of environmentally critical projects, such as the Camp 7 batching plant.
He said it was best for the management of the plant to start looking for a place to relocate its facilities.
According to him, it is not good to do business when the neighbourhood complains often about the negative effects of one’s business to the environment and the health of the people.
Domogan said the appeal is addressed to all environmentally critical businesses in the city to prevent the impression the Camp 7 batching plant is being singled out.
He added it just happened that he had been receiving numerous complaints against the operation of the Camp 7 batching plant from neighborhood residents.
He claimed the owner of the Camp 7 cement batching plant was financiallycapable of relocating the plant to an area where there would be lesser impacts to people and environment.
While it is true that the city’s anti-batching ordinance has been subjected to legal questions, he emphasized it should not be used as an excuse for the establishment of such plants within the city citing similar businesses have relocated somewhere.
Domogan explained the owner of the Camp 7 batching plant should comply with his commitment to relocate to avoid complaints from the local residents, saying the management should always consider the plight of the majority over personal gain and interest.