Sta. Cruz residents hired for Hedcor's Tudaya project

STA. CRUZ, Davao del Sur - Hedcor has began the process of hiring close to 400 locals to work on the construction and development of the Tudaya 2 hydroelectric power project in this municipality. The 7-MW run-of-river project is expected to take around 14 months to build.

The Bagobo-Tagabawa indigenous peoples and the residents of Barangay Astorga are given preference over job opportunities that the project brings.

Even more jobs are in the offing when Hedcor begins construction on the second half of the project - the Tudaya 1 hydroelectric project - which will break ground this month.

"We were informed that members of our tribes have the chance to work for Hedcor. I asked my fellow tribal leaders to screen the aspirants before we endorse them to the company," Bagobo-Tagabawa Tribal leader Datu Rogelio Manapol said.

Manapol also said that the tribes are thankful for the work, allowing them to support the financial needs of their families.

Hedcor has a track record of employing residents of their host communities, many of whom belong to Indigenous Peoples (IP). An example would be the Sibulan Hydropower plants that have a majority workforce made up of IPs.

Residents of the host communities of Hedcor's plants in Benguet have been working for the hydro company since the early ‘90s. In fact, most of these employees have recently been awarded for their faithful service in Hedcor spanning more than twenty years.
Every team member in Hedcor, including those who will be hired for the Tudaya 2 project, is made aware of the company's environmental advocacy.
This includes education on how to respect and care for their own lands. Hedcor president and COO Rene Ronquillo said, "Our hydropower business is not only for the company, it is also for the community we are in and for the welfare of the environment."

"As an AboitizPower company and as one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the country, the Tudaya Hydro Plant is our contribution to the worldwide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Ronquillo added.

The development cost of the Tudaya 2 hydroelectric power project is estimated to be more than 1 billion pesos. The hydropower plant will generate 40.5 gigawatt-hours annually, or enough power for 7,000 homes.

The power generated will be delivered to the Davao del Sur Cooperative Inc. (DASURECO). The construction of the power plant is estimated to be completed by 1st quarter of 2014.

The employment opportunities and other Corporate Social Responsibility programs will also be made available to the communities that will host Hedcor's future projects. Seen to benefit in the near future are the residents of Baguio District, Davao City for the proposed Tamugan Hydropower Project.

In Luzon, the same benefits are available to the residents of the municipality of Sabangan in the Mountain Province when the Sabangan Hydroelectric Project starts construction early next year.