MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/29 June) – Bukidnon’s new governor has underscored his support to environmental protection by pledging to increase the allocation for the Mt. Kitanglad and Mt. Kalatungan natural parks from P1 million to P2-3 million each. At the same time, however, he said he favors the construction of the Pulangi V hydropower dam in southern Bukidnon as well as small-scale mining operations.
Calingasan ignored criticisms to the dam project, saying the economic benefits far outweigh the impending displacement of Lumad communities.
“It (displacement) is being addressed. It can be talked about,” he said.
He added the new hydroelectric power facility will bring cheaper power and attract investors to Bukidnon.
As long as the project goes through democratic consultations it should be pursued, he told MindaNews after talking to executives from Bukindon’s two electric cooperatives.
Calingasan also said he will review the provincial government’s policy promoting small-scale mining.
“I am still agreeable to small-scale mining, on certain conditions,” he said.
He noted that most of the mining exploration proposals are pushed by the Lumad communities themselves.
“We will have to assess if this really benefits them as a whole or just the few dealers,” he said.
But Calingasan refused to issue a statement on the proposed moratorium on the expansion of banana plantations. He said he will leave it to the municipal and city mayors to decide.
“They too are empowered to decide on this and they too know that the people need to balance between food security (and export crops),” he said, adding he would make environmental conservation and protection a leverage for provincial government support to local governments.
He said he will continue outgoing Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri’s program to provide Bukidnon’s 464 barangays with funding support for road projects but only if they commit to turn their landscape into green.
But when reminded of the violations done by companies in Bukidnon against the terms of their environmental compliance certificates, Calingasan said: “As to the environmental concerns, that is where the people will come in. They will have to be vigilant,” he said.
In public functions shortly before assuming his new post, Calingasan also said he will fine-tune his predecessor’s programs and projects.
In his one-hour inaugural speech yesterday, he said his priorities in his first 100 days include streamlining the “over-staffed” provincial government workforce, noting that with its 2,323 workers it is employing more people than the big firms in the province.
The Capitol has at least 1,000 casual employees.
Calingasan said he has instructed the Human Resource and Personnel Office chief to evaluate the performance and tenure of the employees as basis for retention or termination.
The new governor also outlined his programs for agriculture and real property tax collection. He said he will assign more work to the Provincial Agriculture Office, which he said was sidelined in the past administration.
The Kaamulan Festival did not escape Calingasan’s attention. He promised to review the holding of the annual fanfare which critics said has become too commercialized and an affront to Bukidnon’s cultural heritage.
(Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Pulangi 5 Hydro Power Project Crucial to Mindanao Development
By RUEL V. PELONE, Online Editor
PROPONENTS of the Pulangi 5 hydro electric project in Bukidnon are now turning the table to the oppositors of the project saying the group is undermining the economic development of Mindanao.
“The social impact of the project is minimal, but it’s impact on Mindanao’s economy is enormous,” said Romulo Baz, Pulangi 5 Project Management Office manager.
Baz said the project’s pre-development company Greenergy Development Corporation is now implementing a “responsive and sensitive social program.”
“In the one year that we have implemented the pre-development phase of the Pulangi 5 project, we have conducted more than 200 community consultations, with special attention on the concerns of the Manobo indigenous people,” Baz said.
Relocation and sustainable livelihood shall be provided to affected residents in the areas affected by the project. “We will not only provide them with homelots and farmlots, but shall also provide high value farm inputs to the affected residents,” Baz added.
Their objective he explained is not just to give equal livelihood opportunity to the affected residents but improve their lives. Aside from compensation based on the fair market value of the lands, each family shall be reserved a slot in the construction work, will be allowed to till their lands while construction is ongoing and at the same time be provided with high value farm inputs like abaca and rubber.
“While the construction goes on for 5 years, the affected farmers shall be allowed to till their lands and at the same time given support to develop their new farms. When the project is finished their rubber are already productive, for example,” Baz explained.
It is definitely a win-win situation for all,” he added.
The 300 megawatt Pulangi 5 hydroelectric plant is reservoir-type dam. Actual displacement shall happen when the dam is finished and they start flooding the reservoir area.
Engr. Cerael Donggay, President and CEO of Greenergy said that the welfare of the affected residents and the whole island of Mindanao is on top of their intentions in pushing the project. “Mindanao cannot develop with the current power infrastructure and supply that we have,” said Donggay.
He also wasn’t able to hide his displeasure to the opposition to the project which he said “are not being truthful.”
The non-government organization Legal and Natural Rights Resource Center (LRC) has registered opposition to the project. Published reports of the opposition cited among others the displacement of more than 3,000 households and inundation of 78,000-ha by the project.
Donggay said that these figures are “outright lies.” Based on their field validation he said only 1,060 households will be directly affected and the flooded area for the plant’s reservoir would only 3,300-ha.
Baz said the figures of LRC and other oppositors “pure fiction.” The total land area of the 22 barangays to be affected by the Pulangi 5 is only about 30,000 hectares and only about a 10th of it will be flooded for the reservoir.
BusinessWeek Mindanao tried to contact LRC for their side of the story but got no response as of press time.
The Pulangi V hydroelectric project, the affected families of the proposed project in the areas of Kibawe, Kitaotao, Dangcagan and Damulog in Bukidnon and Pres. Roxas in North Cotabato shall be relocated in housing areas and shall have livelihood program.
Baz, said each housing area shall have access and subdivision roads, electric lines, water system, community center, chapel and tribal halls. Beneficiaries of these are both landowners and tenants whose lands and houses would be disrupted by the said project.
Also, part of the livelihood program for the affected communities include agro-forestry, such as the planting of rubber and fruit trees, engagement in freshwater fisheries, as well as, the development of tourism to generate income for these families, according to him.
Despite objections from NGOs, the Pulangi 5 project has already gained the endorsement of 18 out of the 22 barangays to be affected by the project. The proponents are confident, they get the remaining four endorsements in the next two months.
On the other hand, the 300 megawatt hydroelectric plant is seen to provide clean source of energy that can help solve the power shortage in Mindanao in the next years, as claimed by the Project Management of the Pulangi V HEP.
*Published on BusinessWeek Mindanao. 7 June 2010.
PROPONENTS of the Pulangi 5 hydro electric project in Bukidnon are now turning the table to the oppositors of the project saying the group is undermining the economic development of Mindanao.
“The social impact of the project is minimal, but it’s impact on Mindanao’s economy is enormous,” said Romulo Baz, Pulangi 5 Project Management Office manager.
Baz said the project’s pre-development company Greenergy Development Corporation is now implementing a “responsive and sensitive social program.”
“In the one year that we have implemented the pre-development phase of the Pulangi 5 project, we have conducted more than 200 community consultations, with special attention on the concerns of the Manobo indigenous people,” Baz said.
Relocation and sustainable livelihood shall be provided to affected residents in the areas affected by the project. “We will not only provide them with homelots and farmlots, but shall also provide high value farm inputs to the affected residents,” Baz added.
Their objective he explained is not just to give equal livelihood opportunity to the affected residents but improve their lives. Aside from compensation based on the fair market value of the lands, each family shall be reserved a slot in the construction work, will be allowed to till their lands while construction is ongoing and at the same time be provided with high value farm inputs like abaca and rubber.
“While the construction goes on for 5 years, the affected farmers shall be allowed to till their lands and at the same time given support to develop their new farms. When the project is finished their rubber are already productive, for example,” Baz explained.
It is definitely a win-win situation for all,” he added.
The 300 megawatt Pulangi 5 hydroelectric plant is reservoir-type dam. Actual displacement shall happen when the dam is finished and they start flooding the reservoir area.
Engr. Cerael Donggay, President and CEO of Greenergy said that the welfare of the affected residents and the whole island of Mindanao is on top of their intentions in pushing the project. “Mindanao cannot develop with the current power infrastructure and supply that we have,” said Donggay.
He also wasn’t able to hide his displeasure to the opposition to the project which he said “are not being truthful.”
The non-government organization Legal and Natural Rights Resource Center (LRC) has registered opposition to the project. Published reports of the opposition cited among others the displacement of more than 3,000 households and inundation of 78,000-ha by the project.
Donggay said that these figures are “outright lies.” Based on their field validation he said only 1,060 households will be directly affected and the flooded area for the plant’s reservoir would only 3,300-ha.
Baz said the figures of LRC and other oppositors “pure fiction.” The total land area of the 22 barangays to be affected by the Pulangi 5 is only about 30,000 hectares and only about a 10th of it will be flooded for the reservoir.
BusinessWeek Mindanao tried to contact LRC for their side of the story but got no response as of press time.
The Pulangi V hydroelectric project, the affected families of the proposed project in the areas of Kibawe, Kitaotao, Dangcagan and Damulog in Bukidnon and Pres. Roxas in North Cotabato shall be relocated in housing areas and shall have livelihood program.
Baz, said each housing area shall have access and subdivision roads, electric lines, water system, community center, chapel and tribal halls. Beneficiaries of these are both landowners and tenants whose lands and houses would be disrupted by the said project.
Also, part of the livelihood program for the affected communities include agro-forestry, such as the planting of rubber and fruit trees, engagement in freshwater fisheries, as well as, the development of tourism to generate income for these families, according to him.
Despite objections from NGOs, the Pulangi 5 project has already gained the endorsement of 18 out of the 22 barangays to be affected by the project. The proponents are confident, they get the remaining four endorsements in the next two months.
On the other hand, the 300 megawatt hydroelectric plant is seen to provide clean source of energy that can help solve the power shortage in Mindanao in the next years, as claimed by the Project Management of the Pulangi V HEP.
*Published on BusinessWeek Mindanao. 7 June 2010.
FASTLANES: Renewables, best solution to Mindanao power crisis (2)
By BenCyrus G. Ellorin
(Last of two parts)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/05 June) – Sound management of the power industry starts with good medium and long-term planning.
Short term solutions are expensive economically, socially and environmentally.
Many argue that the construction cost per megawatt ratio of dirty coal and expensive oil-fed generators is lower compared to renewable energy, but in the long term these non-renewables are still more expensive on two counts: 1) The cost of producing power for coal and oil is very expensive as it is dependent on the upward movement of the fossil fuel prices in the world market; and 2) burning fossil fuel drives global warming and climate change, aside from it noxious pollution. A 2003 study by the European Commission revealed that the external cost of using coal as fuel is four times the profits reflected in the balance sheets of coal plant owners.
They concluded that for every dollar of profit, society is left to pay an equivalent of U$4 in terms of cost of damage brought by global warming, health risks due to pollution, soil degradation due to pollution, acid rain, among others.
These realities should encourage our power planners and stakeholders in the energy sector to look for cleaner and cheaper sources of power.
Engr. Cerael Donggay, President and CEO of Greenergy Devt. Corporation said that quick fixes in the power industry is costly to the consumers and the environment.
“The twin evils of short term non-renewable energy solutions are high cost of power and environmental damage like global warming,” said Donggay who is one of the founders of Northwind. Northwind owns the country’s first wind energy farm in Ilocos Norte.
The brown outs due to supposed power shortage in Mindanao this year has underscored the need for the power industry to get it act together, albeit not in a business as usual setting.
Pushing for renewable sources of energy should be done in earnest now and there should no longer be any pussy footing on pipeline hydro electric projects like the132-megawatt run-off the river Bulanog-Batang hydro electric power plant in Besigan, Cagayan de Oro and Talakag, Bukidnon. Another hydro electric project that needs urgent pushing is the 300-megawatt Pulangi 5 hydro electric power plant in southern Bukidnon and North Cotabato.
The Bulanog-Batang project already has an investor, the Fortune 500 listed American Engineering Services, while the Pulangi 5 hydro electric project is now in the social preparation phase.
As of this year, technically, Mindanao still does not have shortage of power generating capacity, at least on paper.
Data from the Dept. of Energy indicate that the island still has generation reserve of about 7%. At this level though, the power situation of the island is very vulnerable to external factors like the El Nino phenomenon which brought draughts. Ideally, the reserve power to be dependable is pegged at 13-15% of the peak demand.
Despite the warnings in 2009 of an El Nino episode this year, the National Power Corporation which owns and manages the Agus and Pulangi hydro electric plants wasted the water reserves, the renewable fuel of hydro power plants, by releasing what they thought was excess water from Lake Lanao.
This is something that CEPALCO vice president Engr. Dave Tauli behemently protests as very irresponsible. It is tantamount actually to economic sabotage.
The contribution of hydro electric power in the Mindanao grid has reduced sharply in the last 20 years, from 95% to its current contribution of about 20%.
This has resulted in high power costs in the island as the increased dependence on global warming fossil fuels exposed our electricity bills to the skyrocketing prices of oil in the world market. The worse was in 2008 when crude oil prices spiked to U$147 per barrel. It had since then settled to U$70-80/ barrel, but still way above the U$40/barrel in 2004.
Coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels, although cheaper than its liquid counterparts is no better as its price behaviour is largely influenced by the crude prices. From U$40-50 per ton in 2007, it breached the U$100 mark at the height of the oil price crises in 2008.
The renewable energy potentials of Mindanao is enourmous and there is no reason to rush on proposed dirty coal-fired power plants like the one pushed in Saranggani province.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has listed 98 potential sites for small hydro electric power plants in Mindanao with a total capacity of 826-megawatts. Wind energy is not far behind with 47 potential sites in Mindanao with potential generation capacity of 336-megawatts. Solar energy has demonstrated its viability in the 1-megawatt photovoltaic power plant owned by a CEPALCO subsidiary in Indahag, this city.
You add the potential renewable energy sources with pipeline projects like the Bulanog-Batang and Pulangi 5 hydro electric plants, and we are actually seeing a potential addition of 1,500 megawatts of power for Mindanao in the medium term.
This is more than the forecasted power generation requirement of 2,600 megawatts by 2014. The current capacity of the Mindanao power generation plants is about 1,900 megawatts. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Comments can be sent to bency.ellorin@gmail.com).
*Published on Mindanews, Sunday, June 6, 2010.
(Last of two parts)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/05 June) – Sound management of the power industry starts with good medium and long-term planning.
Short term solutions are expensive economically, socially and environmentally.
Many argue that the construction cost per megawatt ratio of dirty coal and expensive oil-fed generators is lower compared to renewable energy, but in the long term these non-renewables are still more expensive on two counts: 1) The cost of producing power for coal and oil is very expensive as it is dependent on the upward movement of the fossil fuel prices in the world market; and 2) burning fossil fuel drives global warming and climate change, aside from it noxious pollution. A 2003 study by the European Commission revealed that the external cost of using coal as fuel is four times the profits reflected in the balance sheets of coal plant owners.
They concluded that for every dollar of profit, society is left to pay an equivalent of U$4 in terms of cost of damage brought by global warming, health risks due to pollution, soil degradation due to pollution, acid rain, among others.
These realities should encourage our power planners and stakeholders in the energy sector to look for cleaner and cheaper sources of power.
Engr. Cerael Donggay, President and CEO of Greenergy Devt. Corporation said that quick fixes in the power industry is costly to the consumers and the environment.
“The twin evils of short term non-renewable energy solutions are high cost of power and environmental damage like global warming,” said Donggay who is one of the founders of Northwind. Northwind owns the country’s first wind energy farm in Ilocos Norte.
The brown outs due to supposed power shortage in Mindanao this year has underscored the need for the power industry to get it act together, albeit not in a business as usual setting.
Pushing for renewable sources of energy should be done in earnest now and there should no longer be any pussy footing on pipeline hydro electric projects like the132-megawatt run-off the river Bulanog-Batang hydro electric power plant in Besigan, Cagayan de Oro and Talakag, Bukidnon. Another hydro electric project that needs urgent pushing is the 300-megawatt Pulangi 5 hydro electric power plant in southern Bukidnon and North Cotabato.
The Bulanog-Batang project already has an investor, the Fortune 500 listed American Engineering Services, while the Pulangi 5 hydro electric project is now in the social preparation phase.
As of this year, technically, Mindanao still does not have shortage of power generating capacity, at least on paper.
Data from the Dept. of Energy indicate that the island still has generation reserve of about 7%. At this level though, the power situation of the island is very vulnerable to external factors like the El Nino phenomenon which brought draughts. Ideally, the reserve power to be dependable is pegged at 13-15% of the peak demand.
Despite the warnings in 2009 of an El Nino episode this year, the National Power Corporation which owns and manages the Agus and Pulangi hydro electric plants wasted the water reserves, the renewable fuel of hydro power plants, by releasing what they thought was excess water from Lake Lanao.
This is something that CEPALCO vice president Engr. Dave Tauli behemently protests as very irresponsible. It is tantamount actually to economic sabotage.
The contribution of hydro electric power in the Mindanao grid has reduced sharply in the last 20 years, from 95% to its current contribution of about 20%.
This has resulted in high power costs in the island as the increased dependence on global warming fossil fuels exposed our electricity bills to the skyrocketing prices of oil in the world market. The worse was in 2008 when crude oil prices spiked to U$147 per barrel. It had since then settled to U$70-80/ barrel, but still way above the U$40/barrel in 2004.
Coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels, although cheaper than its liquid counterparts is no better as its price behaviour is largely influenced by the crude prices. From U$40-50 per ton in 2007, it breached the U$100 mark at the height of the oil price crises in 2008.
The renewable energy potentials of Mindanao is enourmous and there is no reason to rush on proposed dirty coal-fired power plants like the one pushed in Saranggani province.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has listed 98 potential sites for small hydro electric power plants in Mindanao with a total capacity of 826-megawatts. Wind energy is not far behind with 47 potential sites in Mindanao with potential generation capacity of 336-megawatts. Solar energy has demonstrated its viability in the 1-megawatt photovoltaic power plant owned by a CEPALCO subsidiary in Indahag, this city.
You add the potential renewable energy sources with pipeline projects like the Bulanog-Batang and Pulangi 5 hydro electric plants, and we are actually seeing a potential addition of 1,500 megawatts of power for Mindanao in the medium term.
This is more than the forecasted power generation requirement of 2,600 megawatts by 2014. The current capacity of the Mindanao power generation plants is about 1,900 megawatts. (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Comments can be sent to bency.ellorin@gmail.com).
*Published on Mindanews, Sunday, June 6, 2010.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Pulangi 5 Hydro Allay Fears From Residents
By Stan Salcedo
PROPONENTS of the Pulangi 5 hydroelectric plant allay fears by residents to be affected by the project in southern Bukidnon and North Cotabato.
Officials of the project's pre-development company Greenergy Development Corporation said that the social impact of the project is minimal and its impact on the economic development of power-hungry Mindanao is enornous. .
Pulangi 5 Project Management Office Manager Romulo Baz said that as early as now, they are implementing a "responsive and sensitive social program."
"In the one year that we have implemented the pre-development phase of the Pulangi 5 project, we have conducted more than 200 community consultations, with special attention on the concerns of the Manobo indigenous people," Baz told The Daily Corridor.
Relocation and sustainable livelihood shall be provided to affected residents in the areas affected by the project. "We will not only provide them with homelots and farmlots, but shall also provide high value farm inputs to the affected residents," Baz added.
Their objective he explained is not just to give equal livelihood opportunity to the affected residents but improve their lives. Aside from compensation based on the fair market value of the lands, each family shall be reserved a slot in the construction work, will be allowed to till their lands while construction is ongoing and at the same time be provided with high value farm inputs like abaca and rubber.
"While the construction goes on for 5 years, the affected farmers shall be allowed to till their lands and at the same time given support to develop their new farms. When the project is finished,their rubber are already productive, for example," Baz explained.
It is definitely a win-win situation for all," he added.
The 300 megawatt Pulangi 5 hydroelectric plant is reservoir-type dam. Actual displacement shall happen when the dam is finished and they start flooding the reservoir area.
Engr. Cerael Donggay, President and CEO of Greenergy said that the welfare of the affected residents and the whole island of Mindanao is on top of their intentions in pushing the project. "Mindanao cannot develop with the current power infrastructure and supply that we have," said Donggay.
He also wasn't able to hide his displeasure to the opposition to the project which he said "are not being truthful."
The non-government organization Legal and Natural Rights Resource Center (LRC) has registered opposition to the project. Published reports of the opposition cited among others the displacement of more than 3,000 households and inundation of 78,000-ha by the project.
Donggay said that these figures are "outright lies." Based on their field validation he said only 1,060 households will be directly affected and the flooded area for the plant's reservoir would only 3,300-ha.
Baz said the figures of LRC and other oppositors "pure fiction." The total land area of the 22 barangays to be affected by the Pulangi 5 is only about 30,000 hectares and only about a 10th of it will be flooded for the reservoir.
The Daily Corridor tried to contact LRC for their side of the story but got no response as of press time..
The Pulangi V hydroelectric project, the affected families of the proposed project in the areas of Kibawe, Kitaotao, Dangcagan and Damulog in Bukidnon and Pres. Roxas in North Cotabato shall be relocated in housing areas and shall have livelihood program.
Baz, said each housing area shall have access and subdivision roads, electric lines, water system, community center, chapel and tribal halls. Beneficiaries of these are both landowners and tenants whose lands and houses would be disrupted by the said project.
Also, part of the livelihood program for the affected communities include agro-forestry, such as the planting of rubber and fruit trees, engagement in freshwater fisheries, as well as, the development of tourism to generate income for these families, according to him.
Despite objections from NGOs, the Pulangi 5 project has already gained the endorsement of 18 out of the 22 barangays to be affected by the project. The proponents are confident, they get the remaining four endorsements in the next two months.
On the other hand, the 300 megawatt hydroelectric plant is seen to provide clean source of energy that can help solve the power shortage in Mindanao in the next years, as claimed by the Project Management of the Pulangi V HEP. PNN
*Published Frontpage on The Daily Corridor, June 2, 2010 / The Daily Corridor is a member of the Periodico News Network
PROPONENTS of the Pulangi 5 hydroelectric plant allay fears by residents to be affected by the project in southern Bukidnon and North Cotabato.
Officials of the project's pre-development company Greenergy Development Corporation said that the social impact of the project is minimal and its impact on the economic development of power-hungry Mindanao is enornous. .
Pulangi 5 Project Management Office Manager Romulo Baz said that as early as now, they are implementing a "responsive and sensitive social program."
"In the one year that we have implemented the pre-development phase of the Pulangi 5 project, we have conducted more than 200 community consultations, with special attention on the concerns of the Manobo indigenous people," Baz told The Daily Corridor.
Relocation and sustainable livelihood shall be provided to affected residents in the areas affected by the project. "We will not only provide them with homelots and farmlots, but shall also provide high value farm inputs to the affected residents," Baz added.
Their objective he explained is not just to give equal livelihood opportunity to the affected residents but improve their lives. Aside from compensation based on the fair market value of the lands, each family shall be reserved a slot in the construction work, will be allowed to till their lands while construction is ongoing and at the same time be provided with high value farm inputs like abaca and rubber.
"While the construction goes on for 5 years, the affected farmers shall be allowed to till their lands and at the same time given support to develop their new farms. When the project is finished,their rubber are already productive, for example," Baz explained.
It is definitely a win-win situation for all," he added.
The 300 megawatt Pulangi 5 hydroelectric plant is reservoir-type dam. Actual displacement shall happen when the dam is finished and they start flooding the reservoir area.
Engr. Cerael Donggay, President and CEO of Greenergy said that the welfare of the affected residents and the whole island of Mindanao is on top of their intentions in pushing the project. "Mindanao cannot develop with the current power infrastructure and supply that we have," said Donggay.
He also wasn't able to hide his displeasure to the opposition to the project which he said "are not being truthful."
The non-government organization Legal and Natural Rights Resource Center (LRC) has registered opposition to the project. Published reports of the opposition cited among others the displacement of more than 3,000 households and inundation of 78,000-ha by the project.
Donggay said that these figures are "outright lies." Based on their field validation he said only 1,060 households will be directly affected and the flooded area for the plant's reservoir would only 3,300-ha.
Baz said the figures of LRC and other oppositors "pure fiction." The total land area of the 22 barangays to be affected by the Pulangi 5 is only about 30,000 hectares and only about a 10th of it will be flooded for the reservoir.
The Daily Corridor tried to contact LRC for their side of the story but got no response as of press time..
The Pulangi V hydroelectric project, the affected families of the proposed project in the areas of Kibawe, Kitaotao, Dangcagan and Damulog in Bukidnon and Pres. Roxas in North Cotabato shall be relocated in housing areas and shall have livelihood program.
Baz, said each housing area shall have access and subdivision roads, electric lines, water system, community center, chapel and tribal halls. Beneficiaries of these are both landowners and tenants whose lands and houses would be disrupted by the said project.
Also, part of the livelihood program for the affected communities include agro-forestry, such as the planting of rubber and fruit trees, engagement in freshwater fisheries, as well as, the development of tourism to generate income for these families, according to him.
Despite objections from NGOs, the Pulangi 5 project has already gained the endorsement of 18 out of the 22 barangays to be affected by the project. The proponents are confident, they get the remaining four endorsements in the next two months.
On the other hand, the 300 megawatt hydroelectric plant is seen to provide clean source of energy that can help solve the power shortage in Mindanao in the next years, as claimed by the Project Management of the Pulangi V HEP. PNN
*Published Frontpage on The Daily Corridor, June 2, 2010 / The Daily Corridor is a member of the Periodico News Network
FASTLANES: The Power Dilemma in Mindanao (1)
By BenCyrus G. Ellorin | Friday| June 4, 2010
1st of 2 parts
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/2 June) — The rotating brown out at the height of the El Niño drought has highlighted the very bad management of Mindanao’s power industry.
Such mismanagement can go as high as Malacañang. Despite all its pronouncement of putting Mindanao as priority development area, the nine-year Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime has failed in putting one of the most basic economic infrastructure — power generation.
Although she may be credited for closing the deal with financiers of the only power plant to augment Mindanao’s ageing hydro-electric power plants, the 200-megawatt dirty coal-fired power plant of Steag in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental in 2003, at best GMA’s role was ceremonial as the contract for the said Independent Power Producer was signed during the Ramos administration, with Mindanaoan Guido Delgado still president of the National Power Corporation.
I was at the helm of the opposition to the Steag coal-fired power plant and even brought our campaign right at the doorsteps of the international banks that financed the project, in the KFW headquarters in Bonn, Germany and the JBIC in Tokyo. Our argument then was that the construction of the coal-fired power plant entails a lot of social and environmental cost. We had batted then for cleaner sources of energy like hydro, wind, modern bio-mass and solar.
Of course, all is bridge over troubled water now and for development of the island to push, we need additional sources of energy. There are many offers, especially from the dirty coal and expensive petrol-based generators. Two clean options however are on the starting block and may have to be given the much needed go signal as soon as possible.
These are the 132-megawatt Bulanog-Batang hydroelectric plant in Besigan, Cagayan de Oro and Talakag, Bukidnon and the 300mw Pulangi 5 hydroelectric project in southern Bukidnon and North Cotabato. It was learned that the pre-development phase of the Bulanog-Batang project is already finished and the American Engineering Services, a Fortune 500 listed company, is getting ready to hit the ground running for the $300-million project.
The Pulangi 5 HEP, I was told, is almost done in its social preparations and pre-development stage and may start breaking ground in 2011.
With the power crises in Mindanao hitting a high note this summer with those 5-hour daily brownouts, many people are asking me what I thought of the power situation and whether our arguments 10 years ago about the power situation in Mindanao are still valid.
I would have to say that our critique before on the power demand forecast were right. Based on the Department of Energy’s forecast from 1995 to 2005, the power demand for Mindanao would increase by 9-11% per year. They based it on a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) + 1 formula, or to put it simply, if the GDP is 9%, the projected increase in power demand would be 10%. This of course is very faulty and inaccurate as the GDP rate was based on the medium term forecast which former NEDA head Dr. Cielito Habito said was almost always over-bullish as government economic planners want to project a robust economy to impress investors.
But real GDP for that period was 3-7%. Theoretically, there should be no power supply shortage even if no power plant goes online at that time.
Now, could it still be said of the present? I would say that the critique still stands, but we have to factor in the actual situation of existing power plants.
In the 1980s to the early ’90s, Mindanao was fed 95% by hydroelectric power from the Pulangi and Agus hydroelectric power complexes. It came down to 60% towards the close of the millennium and at present the hydroelectric plants can only supply a low of 20% to 30%. Although technically, the installed capacity of these plants can still be at 60% of the power demand. External factors like droughts and lowering water levels in the plants due to poor watershed management have resulted in drastic decrease of dependable capacity from these hydro plants.
The result of this power industry problem are twofold — brownouts and high power rates.
It is ironic that power rates have gone up despite brownouts which naturally redounds to lesser power consumption.
Mindanao’s power generation mix is hydro, geothermal, coal, bunker fuel and diesel.
While hydro is very cheap at below P4 per kilowatt of generated power, bunker and diesel are ranging from P14-20/kilowatt. Which means decrease in cheap hydro and increase in bunker and diesel equals high generation cost. Which is why when the electricity bill comes into our homes, despite the brownouts, we owe more to our utilities. (Part 2: The renewable solutions)
(The writer is a community organizer, environmentalist and peace advocate based in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Comments can be sent to bency.ellorin@gmail.com.)
*Published on Mindanews, Friday, June 4 2010
1st of 2 parts
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/2 June) — The rotating brown out at the height of the El Niño drought has highlighted the very bad management of Mindanao’s power industry.
Such mismanagement can go as high as Malacañang. Despite all its pronouncement of putting Mindanao as priority development area, the nine-year Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo regime has failed in putting one of the most basic economic infrastructure — power generation.
Although she may be credited for closing the deal with financiers of the only power plant to augment Mindanao’s ageing hydro-electric power plants, the 200-megawatt dirty coal-fired power plant of Steag in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental in 2003, at best GMA’s role was ceremonial as the contract for the said Independent Power Producer was signed during the Ramos administration, with Mindanaoan Guido Delgado still president of the National Power Corporation.
I was at the helm of the opposition to the Steag coal-fired power plant and even brought our campaign right at the doorsteps of the international banks that financed the project, in the KFW headquarters in Bonn, Germany and the JBIC in Tokyo. Our argument then was that the construction of the coal-fired power plant entails a lot of social and environmental cost. We had batted then for cleaner sources of energy like hydro, wind, modern bio-mass and solar.
Of course, all is bridge over troubled water now and for development of the island to push, we need additional sources of energy. There are many offers, especially from the dirty coal and expensive petrol-based generators. Two clean options however are on the starting block and may have to be given the much needed go signal as soon as possible.
These are the 132-megawatt Bulanog-Batang hydroelectric plant in Besigan, Cagayan de Oro and Talakag, Bukidnon and the 300mw Pulangi 5 hydroelectric project in southern Bukidnon and North Cotabato. It was learned that the pre-development phase of the Bulanog-Batang project is already finished and the American Engineering Services, a Fortune 500 listed company, is getting ready to hit the ground running for the $300-million project.
The Pulangi 5 HEP, I was told, is almost done in its social preparations and pre-development stage and may start breaking ground in 2011.
With the power crises in Mindanao hitting a high note this summer with those 5-hour daily brownouts, many people are asking me what I thought of the power situation and whether our arguments 10 years ago about the power situation in Mindanao are still valid.
I would have to say that our critique before on the power demand forecast were right. Based on the Department of Energy’s forecast from 1995 to 2005, the power demand for Mindanao would increase by 9-11% per year. They based it on a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) + 1 formula, or to put it simply, if the GDP is 9%, the projected increase in power demand would be 10%. This of course is very faulty and inaccurate as the GDP rate was based on the medium term forecast which former NEDA head Dr. Cielito Habito said was almost always over-bullish as government economic planners want to project a robust economy to impress investors.
But real GDP for that period was 3-7%. Theoretically, there should be no power supply shortage even if no power plant goes online at that time.
Now, could it still be said of the present? I would say that the critique still stands, but we have to factor in the actual situation of existing power plants.
In the 1980s to the early ’90s, Mindanao was fed 95% by hydroelectric power from the Pulangi and Agus hydroelectric power complexes. It came down to 60% towards the close of the millennium and at present the hydroelectric plants can only supply a low of 20% to 30%. Although technically, the installed capacity of these plants can still be at 60% of the power demand. External factors like droughts and lowering water levels in the plants due to poor watershed management have resulted in drastic decrease of dependable capacity from these hydro plants.
The result of this power industry problem are twofold — brownouts and high power rates.
It is ironic that power rates have gone up despite brownouts which naturally redounds to lesser power consumption.
Mindanao’s power generation mix is hydro, geothermal, coal, bunker fuel and diesel.
While hydro is very cheap at below P4 per kilowatt of generated power, bunker and diesel are ranging from P14-20/kilowatt. Which means decrease in cheap hydro and increase in bunker and diesel equals high generation cost. Which is why when the electricity bill comes into our homes, despite the brownouts, we owe more to our utilities. (Part 2: The renewable solutions)
(The writer is a community organizer, environmentalist and peace advocate based in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Comments can be sent to bency.ellorin@gmail.com.)
*Published on Mindanews, Friday, June 4 2010
Pulangi 5 Seen To Solve Mindanao Power Crisis
By Ren Consul and Stan Salcedo
PROPONENTS of the 300 megawatt Pulangi Hydroelectric Project in Bukidnon claimed that the project would substantially lessen Mindanao's power shortage in 2014.
The Pulangi V Hydroelectric Project also claimed that social preparations for the project is already 80% done. 18 out of the 22 barangays that will be affected by the project have already given their endorsement. At this phase, the proponents are confident that construction of this vital power infrastructure shall start in 2011.
By 2014, Mindanao is projected to have a power shortage of about 500mw. The PMO of the Pulangi V HEP said in Tuesday's meeting that the said 300 MW hydropower is seen to decrease the shortage by more than half.
The proposed Pulangi V hydroelectric project (Pulangi HEP), which uses water pressure to generate electricity, is seen as a much better option to “dirty” power sources like coal and fossil-fuel according to Engr. Cerael C, Donggay, President of the Greenergy Dev't. Corporation.
Hydroelectric power as “renewable energy “ source will not also contribute to global warming since it is not emitting carbon gases to the atmosphere, according to him.
Romulo T. Baz, Manager of the Project Management Office of Pulangi V HEP said that their social program is very "responsive and sensitive to the issues raised by the affected communities."
He added that they are tediously consulting the communities especially the Lumads in the area to mitigate whatever social impact the project will bring.
The barangays that have yet to issue formal endorsement to the project are San Vicente in municipality of Dangcagan and Magsaysay, Pinamula and Sanipon in municipality of Kibawe. As of April 31 this year, there are already 18 barangays out of 22 from Bukidnon and North Cotabato provinces have already given their endorsements, these communities are situated where the project will be established.
These endorsements are necessary to end the project’s predevelopment phase, which is eyeing a closure this year, in order to proceed to begin its construction targeted next year that will end in 2016.
Donggay said that this development is a good indication that these communities are opening up for dialogues and negotiations to come up with a win-win solution.
“We are ready for the position to accept endorsement, maybe within two months,” he said.
He however expressed disappointment over the "exaggerated" claims of those opposing the project. "We do not understand why they are claiming that project will affect 78,000 hectares, when the total area of the 22 barangays to be affected is only about 30,000 hectares."
He said that the reservoir will only submerge 3,300-hectares and that most of these areas are sparsely populated.
If finished, the project will substantially provide much needed respite to the power crises in Mindanao. It could give about 60% of the overall power shortfall in the island.
Donggay also added that they are all pulling all resources with local and foreign investors to help out on the $900 million project.
The Pulangi V project started out as a feasibility study done by then National Power Corporation (Napocor), eyeing a potential Builld-Operate Transfer scheme for bidding in 1998. However, due to the Asian financial crisis, many Mindanao industries shut down, and the Mindanao demand for power dropped.
Napocor opted to leave the development of the Pulangi V hydro project to the private sector in the light of the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) in 2001.
Responding to the call of the Department of Energy (DoE) for the private sector to invest in power generation facilities, Greenergy Development Corporation, initiated and encouraged Electric Cooperatives to start securing future power by investing on power generation facilities.
The passage of RA 9513, known as the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008 to promote development of renewable energy sources such as Hydro power, gave way for incentives towards private entities who will initiate in RE developments.
Greenergy is in full gear in the predevelopment of the Pulangi V hydro project together with the First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative (FIBECO) to address and avert the power crisis in Mindanao. PNN
*Published Frontpage, The Daily Corridor, June 2, 2010 / The Daily Corridor is a member of the Periodico News Network
PROPONENTS of the 300 megawatt Pulangi Hydroelectric Project in Bukidnon claimed that the project would substantially lessen Mindanao's power shortage in 2014.
The Pulangi V Hydroelectric Project also claimed that social preparations for the project is already 80% done. 18 out of the 22 barangays that will be affected by the project have already given their endorsement. At this phase, the proponents are confident that construction of this vital power infrastructure shall start in 2011.
By 2014, Mindanao is projected to have a power shortage of about 500mw. The PMO of the Pulangi V HEP said in Tuesday's meeting that the said 300 MW hydropower is seen to decrease the shortage by more than half.
The proposed Pulangi V hydroelectric project (Pulangi HEP), which uses water pressure to generate electricity, is seen as a much better option to “dirty” power sources like coal and fossil-fuel according to Engr. Cerael C, Donggay, President of the Greenergy Dev't. Corporation.
Hydroelectric power as “renewable energy “ source will not also contribute to global warming since it is not emitting carbon gases to the atmosphere, according to him.
Romulo T. Baz, Manager of the Project Management Office of Pulangi V HEP said that their social program is very "responsive and sensitive to the issues raised by the affected communities."
He added that they are tediously consulting the communities especially the Lumads in the area to mitigate whatever social impact the project will bring.
The barangays that have yet to issue formal endorsement to the project are San Vicente in municipality of Dangcagan and Magsaysay, Pinamula and Sanipon in municipality of Kibawe. As of April 31 this year, there are already 18 barangays out of 22 from Bukidnon and North Cotabato provinces have already given their endorsements, these communities are situated where the project will be established.
These endorsements are necessary to end the project’s predevelopment phase, which is eyeing a closure this year, in order to proceed to begin its construction targeted next year that will end in 2016.
Donggay said that this development is a good indication that these communities are opening up for dialogues and negotiations to come up with a win-win solution.
“We are ready for the position to accept endorsement, maybe within two months,” he said.
He however expressed disappointment over the "exaggerated" claims of those opposing the project. "We do not understand why they are claiming that project will affect 78,000 hectares, when the total area of the 22 barangays to be affected is only about 30,000 hectares."
He said that the reservoir will only submerge 3,300-hectares and that most of these areas are sparsely populated.
If finished, the project will substantially provide much needed respite to the power crises in Mindanao. It could give about 60% of the overall power shortfall in the island.
Donggay also added that they are all pulling all resources with local and foreign investors to help out on the $900 million project.
The Pulangi V project started out as a feasibility study done by then National Power Corporation (Napocor), eyeing a potential Builld-Operate Transfer scheme for bidding in 1998. However, due to the Asian financial crisis, many Mindanao industries shut down, and the Mindanao demand for power dropped.
Napocor opted to leave the development of the Pulangi V hydro project to the private sector in the light of the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) in 2001.
Responding to the call of the Department of Energy (DoE) for the private sector to invest in power generation facilities, Greenergy Development Corporation, initiated and encouraged Electric Cooperatives to start securing future power by investing on power generation facilities.
The passage of RA 9513, known as the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008 to promote development of renewable energy sources such as Hydro power, gave way for incentives towards private entities who will initiate in RE developments.
Greenergy is in full gear in the predevelopment of the Pulangi V hydro project together with the First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative (FIBECO) to address and avert the power crisis in Mindanao. PNN
*Published Frontpage, The Daily Corridor, June 2, 2010 / The Daily Corridor is a member of the Periodico News Network
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
$27-million Hydropower Plant Set To Be Completed in Bukidnon
By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
BUTUAN CITY – A $27-million hydropower pre-development project in Pulangi, Bukidnon province is set to be completed soon, officials said Wednesday.
The hydropower plant is part of the $900-million proposed 350-megawatt dam power development project in Pulangi river in Bukidnon.
If the project is fully utilized, residents in Mindanao may soon get a relief from the rotating brownouts, officials said.
Initially, the pre-development of the project is almost finished, said Engineer Cerael C. Donggay president of Greenergy Development Corp. (GDC), and overall manager of Pulangi 5 hydropower plant project.
"The project is seen to provide long-term renewable energy resources that would benefit all people of Mindanao," said Donggay.
Investors in these power projects are the Zhe Jiang Corp. of China and Applied Engineering Services based in the United States.
The Pulangi 5 hydro-electric power plant is also a joint project of GDC and First Bukidnon Electric Service Cooperative (Fibeco).
Pulangi River in Bukidnon province is a tributary of the Rio Grande of Mindanao. It has a length of 320 kms from its source in Barangay Kalabugao, in Impasug-ong town, Bukidnon, which is the longest river in Bukidnon.
According to Donggay, the power plant will provide much cheaper generation cost at only P4/kwh.
The Pulangi power development project will also benefits the village folk especially the indigenous people (IPs), providing them job opportunities, agricultural and livelihood training, and provision of free seedlings of rubber, coffee, abaca fruits and bamboo, Donggay said.
"The six-year power development project in the area will add livelihood to the villagers such as duck production and tourism-related job opportunities,” added Donggay.
*Published on Manila Bulleting Publishing, June 2, 2010, 4:53pm.
BUTUAN CITY – A $27-million hydropower pre-development project in Pulangi, Bukidnon province is set to be completed soon, officials said Wednesday.
The hydropower plant is part of the $900-million proposed 350-megawatt dam power development project in Pulangi river in Bukidnon.
If the project is fully utilized, residents in Mindanao may soon get a relief from the rotating brownouts, officials said.
Initially, the pre-development of the project is almost finished, said Engineer Cerael C. Donggay president of Greenergy Development Corp. (GDC), and overall manager of Pulangi 5 hydropower plant project.
"The project is seen to provide long-term renewable energy resources that would benefit all people of Mindanao," said Donggay.
Investors in these power projects are the Zhe Jiang Corp. of China and Applied Engineering Services based in the United States.
The Pulangi 5 hydro-electric power plant is also a joint project of GDC and First Bukidnon Electric Service Cooperative (Fibeco).
Pulangi River in Bukidnon province is a tributary of the Rio Grande of Mindanao. It has a length of 320 kms from its source in Barangay Kalabugao, in Impasug-ong town, Bukidnon, which is the longest river in Bukidnon.
According to Donggay, the power plant will provide much cheaper generation cost at only P4/kwh.
The Pulangi power development project will also benefits the village folk especially the indigenous people (IPs), providing them job opportunities, agricultural and livelihood training, and provision of free seedlings of rubber, coffee, abaca fruits and bamboo, Donggay said.
"The six-year power development project in the area will add livelihood to the villagers such as duck production and tourism-related job opportunities,” added Donggay.
*Published on Manila Bulleting Publishing, June 2, 2010, 4:53pm.
Hydropower Plant Project Kicks Off
By Nicole J. Managbanag
RESIDENTS in Mindanao may soon get a relief from the rotating brownouts as the proposed US$900 million Pulangi 5 Hydro-electric power plant project will kick off soon.
Engineer Cerael C. Donggay, president of Greenergy Development Corp. and over-all manager of Pulangi 5 hydropower plant project, said pre-development of the project is almost finished, costing US$27 million, after which construction of the 350-megawatt dam would follow.
"The project is seen to provide long term renewable energy resources that would benefit all people of Mindanao, even those indigenous peoples (IPs) who will be affected by the project," Donggay said.
He said investors are already starting to pour in their investments. Among these are the Zhe Jiang Corporation of China and Applied Engineering Services based in the United States.
The Pulangi 5 Hydro-electric power plant, a joint project of Greenergy Development Corporation and First Bukidnon Electric Service Cooperative (Fibeco), will source its water from the Pulangi River, considered as one of the tributaries of the Rio Grande of Mindanao. It has a length of 320 kilometers from its source in Barangay Kalabugao, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, which is the longest river in Bukidnon, and traversing majority of its cities and municipality.
The project, Donggay said, is seen to provide much cheaper generation cost at only P4/kwh. It is expected to affect at least 22 barangays, five municipalities and two provinces in Bukidnon and Cotabato.
Donggay said residents in the affected barangays would be given benefits such as job opportunities, agricultural and livelihood training, and provision of free seedlings of rubber, coffee, abaca fruits and bamboo.
"The affected family will continue to till the land that they already sold for the project and harvest their crops while establishing their new farms during the project's construction period, which is five to six year," Donggay said.
Aside from this, he added that residents would also be given supplementary income for duck production and tourism-related job opportunities.
Donggay added the project would also construct an IP Cultural Center and a training center for the IPs, provide scholarships to deserving IP students, construct health clinics and "botika sa barangay, among other programs.
Last year, the project team already conducted a series of orientation to each affected barangay and invited IP tribal leaders and families for a visit to the existing hydro-power plant projects in Maramag, Bukidnon for them to personally see the benefits of the project.
As of present, Donggay said 18 barangays have already given their consent to the project.
*Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on June 2, 2010
RESIDENTS in Mindanao may soon get a relief from the rotating brownouts as the proposed US$900 million Pulangi 5 Hydro-electric power plant project will kick off soon.
Engineer Cerael C. Donggay, president of Greenergy Development Corp. and over-all manager of Pulangi 5 hydropower plant project, said pre-development of the project is almost finished, costing US$27 million, after which construction of the 350-megawatt dam would follow.
"The project is seen to provide long term renewable energy resources that would benefit all people of Mindanao, even those indigenous peoples (IPs) who will be affected by the project," Donggay said.
He said investors are already starting to pour in their investments. Among these are the Zhe Jiang Corporation of China and Applied Engineering Services based in the United States.
The Pulangi 5 Hydro-electric power plant, a joint project of Greenergy Development Corporation and First Bukidnon Electric Service Cooperative (Fibeco), will source its water from the Pulangi River, considered as one of the tributaries of the Rio Grande of Mindanao. It has a length of 320 kilometers from its source in Barangay Kalabugao, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, which is the longest river in Bukidnon, and traversing majority of its cities and municipality.
The project, Donggay said, is seen to provide much cheaper generation cost at only P4/kwh. It is expected to affect at least 22 barangays, five municipalities and two provinces in Bukidnon and Cotabato.
Donggay said residents in the affected barangays would be given benefits such as job opportunities, agricultural and livelihood training, and provision of free seedlings of rubber, coffee, abaca fruits and bamboo.
"The affected family will continue to till the land that they already sold for the project and harvest their crops while establishing their new farms during the project's construction period, which is five to six year," Donggay said.
Aside from this, he added that residents would also be given supplementary income for duck production and tourism-related job opportunities.
Donggay added the project would also construct an IP Cultural Center and a training center for the IPs, provide scholarships to deserving IP students, construct health clinics and "botika sa barangay, among other programs.
Last year, the project team already conducted a series of orientation to each affected barangay and invited IP tribal leaders and families for a visit to the existing hydro-power plant projects in Maramag, Bukidnon for them to personally see the benefits of the project.
As of present, Donggay said 18 barangays have already given their consent to the project.
*Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on June 2, 2010
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