TOXIC AIR IN DMCI RIVERFRONT PUTS RESIDENTS AT SERIOUS HEALTH RISK

Residents of DMCI Homes Riverfront Residences along Dr Sixto Avenue in Caniogan, Pasig are exposed to toxic air pollution, which can cause respiratory illnesses.

The STP or Sewage Treatment Plant right beside Amazon, one of the nine residential buildings inside the compound, is emitting toxic smell every day but especially at night and early morning. 

The mere fact that it is emitting bad smell suggests it is toxic and can cause respiratory illnesses. 

The extent of this air pollution is so big that the building where we live is close to the entrance gate and on the extreme end of the Amazon Building (which is close to the exit gate and which is beside the STP) and yet we can still smell it.  

DMCI has been highly irresponsible in addressing this air pollution.

There have been complaints from residents years ago and yet the Property Management Office or PMO did not act on this!

The City Environment made an inspection last February 29 after a complaint but how come the DMCI PMO cannot show the papers or permits or information requested by the City Environment when this STP has been in operation for years already?

How come the STP is right beside the residential building of Amazon? How come the DMCI did not plan the land area well to isolate this building from the residential buildings? 

CITY ENVIRONMENT OF PASIG
On the part of the government of Pasig, how could they be claiming that this is a green city when there is toxic air pollution right inside a residential compound! How come the City Environment received a complaint from a resident at Riverfront some two years back and yet, they did not readily act on it or made a follow up, putting the health of the residents at risk. 

The City Environment said they will wait for the DMCI Riverfront Residences to comply within a week since inspection date but isn't it that this STP has been around for years already? And isn't it that this property has been around since 2008? Then how come they are just processing or completing it now? Isn't it that they should have the compliance and the permits and the STP in place before this property was ever opened to the public? How come the City Environment and the DMCI property developer allowed the STP to be built at such close proximity to the residential buildings? 

The property management office of Riverfront Residences and the developer, DMCI, should be held accountable as this exposes residents to life-threatening and irreversible health hazards. 

Update:

The Pasig City Environment required the DMCI Riverfront Residences to comply with all the requirements within a week but DMCI failed to do so. Instead of holding a public hearing, the City Environment continues to tolerate DMCI's non-compliance. I do not understand the purpose of having the City Environment if it cannot protect the residents from environmental problems and address them. The City Environment is obviously protecting the interests of abusive companies like DMCI. 

I would also like to point out some lapses in the reasoning of City Environment inspector Gregory de la Paz. Mr. de la Paz commented that during his sight inspection at about 5pm last February 29, he was asked to wait for an hour or so at the gate before allowing him entry. He said the smell was "tolerable". I argued with him saying the toxic smell normally occurs in the evening or early in the morning so the timing of his visit was not best time to experience the gravity of the problem. Besides, the mere fact he was asked to wait for an hour and could not do spot inspection suggested they are hiding something.  

The inspector added that there have been "improvements". I opposed his satisfaction with this "partial" compliance achieved "gradually" over the course of 8 years! The permits and full compliance should have been completed and that STP should have been in place before the property was opened to residents because their gradual and impartial compliance results in health risks to residents. I don't even understand why they gave the management one week to comply when this property has been around since 2008. 

He also mentioned that the resident who called and complained about this air pollution two years ago did not call again. I opposed his faulty presumption that it has been resolved just because he did not hear from that person again as this does not equate to problem resolved! That person may have not called again out of frustration that the Pasig City Environment cannot pursue and follow up on this case and address the issue. That person may have also left the property. A recurring problem suggests that the issue was never addressed to begin with. 

He even reasoned that this has not happened to other DMCI properties. I challenged his mistake of rushing to conclusions since each property is unique in terms of layout and management, among other things. It is highly illogical to conclude that just because it did not happen to one property, that it will not happen to others, or that there wouldn't be an exception. The fact that DMCI RFR has not fully complied already indicates there is something wrong and missing with their STP.