Some 50 workers at Petron’s oil refinery in Limay, Bataan have urged the municipal government help avert the closure of the facility by reclassifying it as part of the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB).
The FAB, located in neighboring Mariveles, is a special economic zone that is not subject to regular tax laws.
Petron President and CEO Ramon Ang, who recently announced the closure of the nearly 40-year old facility in January 2021, had repeatedly warned of this due to what he views as unfair taxation by the government, specifically after the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
The permanent closure of the country’s once-largest and last remaining oil refinery will affect 1,000 directly employed workers, along with over 2,500 others who work in at least 25 third-party service providers that the oil giant engages.
Photo from Philippine News Agency website.
