Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco yesterday signed the Memorandum of Agreement allowing the expansion of the Energy Development Corporation inside the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park and reiterating the conditions set by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Zayco also issued an Executive Order creating the Oversight, Monitoring and Compliance Committee and designating its membership.

Under the MOA, the EDC, formerly known as PNOC-EDC, and the provincial government committed to address the power requirement of Negros Occidental but at the same time, preserve and protect the environment and the resources in MKNP.

The agreement also requires the EDC to sell power at a price lower than or equal to the alternative power projects and to give priority in the sale of its electricity to the electric cooperatives in Negros Occidental.

Through the Oversight, Monitoring and Compliance Committee, the EDC will have to submit a detailed work program and a stand and stock table covering its activities in the 169-hectare MKNP buffer zone, the MOA stated.

It also directs the EDC to confine its geothermal development activities within the metes and bounds duly delineated and established by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in coordination with the Park Board and the Oversight committee.

Part of the duties and responsibilities of the EDC, under the MOA, is to ensure that the cutting of trees with a diameter of 100 centimeters and beyond shall be limited to only 34 trees, and that, the energy company should exert all efforts to minimize the cutting of trees to a number lower than 34.

Under the agreement, EDC should institute and implement a Comprehensive Environmental and Reforestation Program to mitigate the effects of the exploration inside the buffer zone, and that, its reforestation activity at the MKNP shall involve 160,000 trees planted and grown over a span of five years to cover an area of 400 hectares.

The MOA also stated that the cutting of trees by the EDC shall be done in the presence of the Oversight, Monitoring and Compliance Committee, and the company should give preference to the people residing in the locality for its unskilled labor requirement in its exploration activities.

COMMITTEES FORMED

Meanwhile, in his executive order creating the oversight committee, Zayco stressed that the group’s primary task is to ensure faithful compliance by the EDC of the conditions imposed by the SP.

The committee is chaired by SP Committee on Environment chairman Mae Javellana with SP member Edgardo Acuña as vice chairman.

Committee members are the Provincial Environment and Management Officer, the Mayor of the City of Bago, the Mayor the Municipality of Murcia, the Provincial Legal Officer, representative from EDC, representative from the Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation, Inc., and representative from the Negros Press Club.

Aside from ensuring the compliance of the conditions set on EDC’s expansion inside the MKNP, the committee is also tasked to submit a periodic writing report to the Governor and the SP relative to the status of the exploration project.

It should also act as the conduit of the provincial government to the EDC as well as other stakeholders and create, if necessary, a technical working group to assist in the discharge of its functions as the public inspection arm of the province.

ZAYCO THANKED

In a statement, the EDC expressed its gratitude to Zayco for finally signing the MOA and for issuing the EO which allows the company’s expansion inside the MKNP buffer zone.

“We thank Gov. Zayco and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for standing up for what is right and what is legal,” EDC president and CEO Paul Aquino said in the statement.

“Likewise, we are grateful to the Negros business community and all Negrenses for their overwhelming support for our project.  You are the driving force behind our perseverance to expand and get more geothermal power,” Aquino added.

He added that the class suit filed by the Save the Mt. Kanlaon Coalition against EDC, DENR and PAMB is not only a case against the corporation but also a case against the welfare of all Negrenses.

Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes welcomed the decision endorsing the expansion of the EDC inside the buffer zone.

“I’m glad Gov. Isidro Zayco arrived at this decision after carefully weighing all aspects and hearing all sides of the issue. With the signing of the memorandum of agreement, EDC can now tap additional geothermal power to generate the province’s much needed power,” Reyes said.

As for those who still oppose the project, Reyes said that they should respect the decision of the local government and the desire of majority of Negrenses to support the project in answer to the power shortfall of the province.”*NAB

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