The recent massive fire inside a warehouse in San Pedro City, Laguna should be a wake-up call for all local government units (LGUs) not just in Laguna province but also in the entire country as well.
That lesson: runaway growth can lead to disastrous consequences.
While San Pedro City prides itself on being a “Dormitory City” of workers from Metro Manila and nearby cities in Laguna, the fact is that large industrial complexes are still being constructed, partly due to the recent tendency of manufacturing hubs to move away from Metro Manila and into the suburbs.
The result: the city has become a hodgepodge of residential and squatter areas sandwiched right next to large industrial complexes.
That these residential areas are situated right next to industrial complexes have proved to be problematic not just for the health of the nearby residents but their safety as well. Take note, two other large fires inside these industrial hubs in Barangay San Antonio – one in 2020 and another in 2022 – have taken place right next to residential subdivisions.
The city government of San Pedro, under successive administrations, have pledged to review its land use program to ensure that the socio-economic needs of San Pedrenses can be balanced with the challenges brought by climate change, pollution, and runaway urbanization.
The recent fire that gutted a large warehouse in Barangay San Antonio and caused a massive oil spill that nearly threatened Laguna de Bay, the country’s largest freshwater lake, should prompt local officials to stop dilly-dallying and seriously craft a comprehensive land use program that will serve both the needs of a still-growing city (despite the fact that San Pedro is one of the smallest cities in Laguna, in terms of land area) and ensure the health and safety of its residents.
While we recognize the need to create more employment and livelihood opportunities for San Pedrenses, we should not forget that this city was created to be a “safe haven” for Lagunense workers. Let us ensure that it remains that way.
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