Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Isidro Zayco yesterday said that, while the provincial government will not oppose the Philippine National Oil Co.-Energy Development Corp. entry into the buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park to tap more geothermal energy, if it is allowed by law, they want specifics to prevent any violation.

He said PNOC has promised to submit a master plan on its proposed geothermal energy development within the 169-hectare buffer zone of the park by Wednesday next week.

We need their detailed master plan so the Provincial Environment Management Office can monitor PNOC activity in the park and ensure adequate protection of the environment, Zayco said.

Board Member Nehemias de la Cruz, chairman of the Sanggunian Committee on Energy, said that, as long as PNOC does not do damage to the environment, geothermal power is better than coal.

We are asking PNOC to guarantee that the power it generates from the Bago plant is sold to Negros Occidental consumers, dela Cruz said.

PNOC is seeking the conformity of Governor Joseph Marañon and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for its proposed geothermal energy development within the buffer zone.

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

Joey Higgins, chief of the NNGP Community Partnership Department, 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.

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.*CPG

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