Piñol, picketers demand share from power plant

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato -- Around 300 protesters picketed Monday demanding a reprieve from the continued brownouts in North Cotabato and a share in the privatization of the Mindanao 1 Geothermal Power Plant.

Said protesters picketed near the compound of the Philippine National Oil Company in Barangay Ilomavis this city.

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In their statement, the people of North Cotabato said the recent brownouts and power outages in the province have adversely and seriously affected their lives and livelihood.

It also said the brownouts they suffered are "unjust and unfair" since the Geothermal Power Plant produces over 100 megawatts as compared to their requirement of only 35 megawatts.

They said during the construction of the power plant, they were made to believe that they would benefit from the energy produced by the plant.

They were also made to believe that its operation will usher in investments.

They added that top officials and agencies involved in the construction of the plant ignored the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement signed, which was to have a power line straight from the geothermal plant to the local power provider.

The protesters demanded that the "brownouts and power outages affecting the province be immediately stopped and that power supply to the province be restored to its normal level and its local electric cooperative be immediately allowed access to the 35 megawatts requirement of the province.

They also wanted the government to explain to the Tribal People who sacrificed their sacred place to host the power plant. They also demand full closure of the transaction and our fair and just share from the sale.

Commitment

Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol said the province will not suffer from power interruptions should the Mindanao 1 Geothermal Plant provide an independent power line to the local electric cooperative.

"They should fulfill their commitment to the people as signed in the MOA (Memorandum on Agreement) and our tribal people here should benefit from it. Kami na nuon na taga-diri ang maglimos ug kuryente sa ilaha, they should give in to our demand because we will also pay it," Piñol said in an interview.

He added that should they refuse their demand, they will be forced to go to court for formal disclosure.

"We will stay here as long as they don't give in to out demand and this will surely affect their normal operation. You can call it pressure strategy but their continued failure to follow the MOA indicates that they have no respect for the officials," Piñol said.

He said the plant is only giving 17.5 megawatts to the province instead of 35 MW.

"This is not just ignorance of the law but they are completely ignoring the provision of the law for their own. This is really corporate greed,' Piñol said.

Piñol said the original proposal was to get electricity directly from the power plant to the Villaria substation in Midsayap and the Paco substation.

"Mao gyud na ang original agreement na wala nasunod. This is not about politics pero grabe na ang brownout, apektado na ang mga tao," Piñol said adding that the MOA was signed in 1993.

A Manobo local resident, Anita Ramos, 61, said she has been residing in barangay Balabag since birth and the place where the plant was located was their ancestral domain.

"Naa mi diri kay wala sila nagtuman sa ilang gipangsulti. Naa man mi titulo ani kung gusto sila. Ang ingon man gud nila sa amoa kay 10% ilang ihatag sa amoa sa total amount pero wala gyud mi nakatilaw. Among mga silingan, naga-reklamo pud mao naa mi diri tanan," she said adding that they will not leave the place unless the power plant will give in to their demand.