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Tuesday, November 23, 2004
I haven't signed memorandum yet: Concepcion mayor
CONCEPCION Mayor Raul Banias clarified that even if he has been authorized by the Municipal Council to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the proponent of the coal-fired power plant, he has not yet made any commitment.
"I haven't signed anything yet. At present, we are just exchanging notes. We have to mutually approve this first. First and foremost, it should be beneficial to the local government unit," Banias told Sun.Star Iloilo in a telephone interview.
The mayor said the 10 councilors unanimously approved last Tuesday the resolution authorizing him to sign an MOU with Semirara Coal Corp. (SCC), a subsidiary of DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI), the firm proposing to construct a 100-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Barangay Nipa.
"However, I would like to clarify that this MOU is unlike Kepco's. This is just a list of steps to be initiated for DMCI to start the detailed feasibility study for the plant," Banias said.
In the case of Kepco Philippines Corp., the proponent of a similar project in Banate, Iloilo, the MOU allowed the firm to conduct a feasibility study at the proposed project site in Barangay San Salvador.
The Municipal Government would provide a project site, according to the MOU.
The Banate proposal, however, fell through following a strong resistance from anti-coal advocacy groups, including the Responsible Ilonggos for Sustainable Energy (Rise). The Iloilo Provincial Board also junked the proposal.
Convenors of Rise are closely monitoring the negotiations between the Municipal Government and SCC as they claim the Council gave the mayor an authority to sign the MOU even without closely looking into its details.
Banias earlier said they are "open to listen to all views" but "in the end, social acceptability" will prevail.
The mayor has said the projects environmental and health impacts will be highly considered.
Controversial history
SCC, the project proponent in Concepcion, has a controversial history on environment-related concerns.
The firm's mining operations is based in Semirara Island, Caluya, Antique.
In 2000, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has proposed to tap SCC and its parent company, DMCI-RII Builders Consortium, to establish a garbage dumpsite on Semirara Island but the project did not push through following a strong resistance from Antique residents.
The Regional Trial Court Branch 10 issued a temporary restraining order and then an injunction.
According to Eric Garrett, project manager of Philippine Endemic Species Conservation Project (PESCP), in his letter to Haribon Foundation in Dec. 15, 2000 regarding the dumpsite project, SCC "has a bad record in complying with environmental requirements and social responsibilities."
In her privilege speech on the same issue on Jan. 9, 2001, former Sen. Loren Legarda said, "(t)hey (the people of Antique) recall the poor performance of Semirara Coal Corporation in complying with environmental laws, particularly in the disposal of mine waste into its waters."
Garrett further said, "Environmental concerns include a history in which SCC has pushed its will through connections at the top level of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), by-passing normal procedures for the conduct of Environmental Impact Assessments and the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificates."(/KVC/NLG)
(November 22, 2004 issue)
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