ALABEL, Sarangani (March 4, 2011) – A Legislative Forum on Power Generation and Sustainability was held Thursday (March 3) among local legislators to seek majority opinion on Conal Holdings’ proposed 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant in barangay Kamanga, Maasim.
“We want assurance from Conal on the environmental impact of the project,” Rep. Manny Pacquiao said. Pacquiao said he doesn’t want to impose on what he wants but a decision by the majority.
As Pacquiao, Governor Migs Dominguez, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and barangay councilors met, some community leaders and participants expressed excitement as to when the plant will start its construction.
“The purpose of the forum is to provide an avenue to listen to stakeholders and to know the regulations for the protection of the environment,” Board Member and committee chair on Natural Resources and Environment Eleanor Saguiguit said.
At the forum, Saguiguit was sworn into office by Governor Dominguez as member of the National Board of Directors of the Lady Local Legislators League of the Philippines.
“Building the power plant in our place is no longer an issue,” Ben Donato, municipal tribal chieftain of Maasim said. “The question is when the company is going to start the construction,” he said.
“You see, it’s us who shall be the first victims if the project will fail, but now they’ve come to realized there is nothing wrong with the project at all through continued dialogue and information drive,” Umbra Macagcalat said.
Macagcalat is former member of the Sangguniang Panalalawigan. He said he tried to convince his former colleagues not to further delay the project because the community has fully understood the purpose of the project that does not necessarily risk their lives.
“It’s our own families and properties on the line but we concede.”
Conal’s SM 200 Project is said to address power shortage in Mindanao that will serve primarily the South Central Region as a huge increase of investments is eventually seen here.
Sarangani Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Cherrilyn Marie Espinosa said businesses always seek for a reliable and affordable power source to support their investment.
In 2008, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines projected an estimated 500-megawatt power shortage in Mindanao.
With the inevitability to buy and acquire additional energy from hydro power sources in Mindanao, South Cotabato Electric Cooperative-II general manager Rodolfo Ocat assures reliability of energy source because of its proximity, and affordability since coal is cheapest among all other power generating sources.
Environmental critiques fear most of the environmental threats that the coal-fired power plant can create.
In October 2008, Conal had acquired its Environmental Compliance Certification from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“The use of modern technological equipment for the project assures you that we are well below the pollution control limit set by the government,” Conal’s vice president for business management Jose Nocos said.
In addition, he said there is a continuous monitoring of the multipartite monitoring team that can recommend for the closure of the company operation at anytime it violates what the government requires.
At the open forum, Maasim municipal councilors urged Nocos to make a comprehensive presentation of the Conal project among environmental critiques who are members of the Diocese of Marbel.
Late last year, parishioners led by parish priest Romeo Cathedral expressed their opposition to the Conal project.
Nocos assures legislators safety measures with the use of modern technology and monitoring system will be in place as the company starts its construction of the project July this year. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)
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