The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental was asked to take the lead in respecting and implementing the law, which allows the state-owned Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation to enter the 169-hectare buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park for geothermal development, by Murcia Mayor Esteban Coscolluela yesterday.

Environmentalist groups, meanwhile, urged the provincial government to lobby for the amendment of the MKNP Act of 2001 to reclaim the PNOC-EDC area, and to ensure that no further exploration and development in the 169-hectare buffer zone in Brgy Mailum, Bago City .

RA 9154, known as the MKNP Act, allows PNOC to enter the buffer zone.

In a position paper stating his support to the PNOC plans to enter the buffer zone, Coscolluela asked who will respect their legislative institutions then if they refuse to implement the law.

Bago Mayor Ramon Torres also expressed his support to the entry of PNOC-EDC to the park buffer zone, saying it is provided in the law.

For 16 years, PNOC-EDC has been there providing us with benefits, Torres said. He, however, stressed the need for PNOC-EDC to religiously follow what have been stated in the Environment Compliance Certificate issued to them by DENR.

Rusty Binas of the Green Alert-Negros Environmental Network said the declaration of Mt. Kanlaon as a natural park was a “disgrace” because part of the area was sliced for geothermal exploration and development.

Citing Article 1, Section 3 of RA 9154, or MKNP Act of 2001, Binas said Mt. Kanlaon is said to be free from any outside intervention of any form, thus the existence of PNOC in Mt. Kanlaon is null and void. He added that this clearly violates and had contradicted the law.

Agnes de Jesus, PNOC-EDC senior vice-president, said the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office clarified that the buffer zone is distinct from the Mt. Kanlaon park, which is a protected area.

De Jesus said those who opposed and revived the old issues on environment participated in the consultation process from 1996 to 2000, and the Protected Area Management Board approved the entry of PNOC-EDC to the buffer zone in October 29 last year.

Board Member Nehemias de la Cruz, chairperson of the SP Committee on Energy, called for the re-organization of the PAMB, saying, “These are the very people who approved the PNOC operations previously, and who are now opposing it again”.

De la Cruz said he wants some of the members to be replaced by accredited non-government and people's organizations, who are not involved in the previous endorsements.

The Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition also reiterated its call for the scrapping of buffer zone provision of RA 9154, which contravenes the National Integrated Protected Areas System law passed in 1992 which prohibits energy survey and exploration in natural parks.

Coscolluela also said the entry of PNOC-EDC into the buffer zone as an environmentally disastrous move is blown out of proportions.

Board Member Mae Javellana, chairperson of the SP committee on Environment and Natural Resources Committee, said the three committees will hold a caucus after hearing both sides, and forward their recommendation to the provincial council for appropriate action.

Javellana maintained that the entry of PNOC to the buffer zone is legal as provided in RA 9154, known as the MKNP Act.*GPB

back to top