The state-owned Philippine National Oil Co.-Energy Development Corp. is seeking conformity from Governor Joseph Marañon and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for its proposed geothermal energy development within the 169-hectare buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park .

Agnes de Jesus, PNOC-EDC senior vice-president, in her letter to Marañon, a copy of which furnished to the SP, said this is intended to augment the steam supply of the existing Northern Negros Geothermal Power Plant in Brgy. Mailum, Bago City , which started operations in February last year.

However, despite favorable endorsement from Marañon, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan yesterday deferred action on the PNOC request, pending submission of documents and detailed plans for their proposal to enter the buffer zone, which is a forestal area.

Vice Governor Isidro Zayco yesterday said that while they are not opposing the project, they want to make sure that their action will be in accordance with the law.

Environmentalist groups had expressed vehement opposition to the entry of PNOC in the national park even before the construction of the geothermal power plant, in previous years.

Joey Higgins, chief of the NNGP Community Partnership Department, who appeared yesterday before members of the SP at their regular session, said they are allowed by law to use the buffer zone, as stipulated in the provisions of RA 9154, passed in 2001.

Higgins said they did not use that privilege immediately because they hoped to reach the 40 megawatts by drilling outside the buffer zone of the park.

Now that all the (geothermal) wells are installed and they cannot reach the 40- megawatt power output, they need to enter the buffer zone, he added.

Originally, the PNOC-EDC wanted 1,850 hectares for its geothermal power plant and sites of drilling wells. However, it was trimmed down to 169 hectares.

Negros energy mix now includes 99.6 percent from geothermal and 0.4 percent from hydro, the Department of Energy says.

Higgins said the proposed entry into the buffer zone of the park has already been approved the Protected Area Management Board of Mt. Kanlaon National Park and other stakeholders.

PNOC-EDC aims to construct two geothermal wells within the buffer zone, for which, Higgins said the sites have already been identified by geologists.

Higgins added that about 32 trees may be affected by the operation and construction of the road within the buffer zone that was already identified through a bio-diversity study.

Members of the SP also suggested that PNOC-EDC put up an environmental guarantee fund, to be used for any damage that may brought about by the operations.*GPB

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