Petron workers seek help for Limay refinery

MANILA, Philippines — About 50 employees at Petron Corp.’s oil refinery in Bataan have urged the Limay town government to help in averting another closure of the facility, which the company’s president earlier said might become permanent.

Refinery worker Thom de Villa, in a statement on behalf of his colleagues, pushed a proposal to reclassify the refinery as part of the Freeport Area of Bataan to avert its closure due to financial difficulties.

According to Petron, the permanent closure of the refinery will affect 1,000 directly employed workers as well as more than 2,500 others who work in at least 25 third-party service providers that Petron engages.

Last October, Petron president Ramon Ang said a lopsided tax regime put the refinery in Limay at a disadvantage compared to importers of refined petroleum products and pushed the facility toward a permanent shutdown. —RONNEL W. DOMINGO