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Wednesday, April 16, 2003
San Roque Dam to operate amid NPA threats
By Harley Palangchao
BAGUIO -- The operation of the power-generation component of the US$1.15 billion San Roque Multipurpose Dam project, the second biggest dam in Asia, will start anytime next month amid threats of the New Peoples Army to sabotage its operation.
Ronald Perez, project manager of the National Power Corporation's (Napocor) Luzon Generation Projects, told reporters that officials of the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), the dam builder, "are on top of the situation," referring to the NPA threats.
"Besides, one battalion of the Philippine Army safeguarding the dam were ordered to be in double alert to thwart any terrorism-related activities against the dam," Perez said.
The dam, located between the boundaries of Itogon, Benguet and San Manuel, Pangasinan, is expected to generate 345 megawatts of electricity for Luzon and the rest of the country. It is also expected to irrigate more than 70,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Regions 1 and II and other parts of Central Luzon.
Perez also denied that the reported NPA threats on San Roque Dam is one of the main reasons triggering dam officials into not declaring publicly the exact date as to when the power-generation component of the dam would start.
The AFP North Luzon Command reported that it has prioritized the safety of the project against any possible threat from the NPA or other lawless elements, especially after the completion of its power generation component.
In Region 1, the Pangasinan Provincial Police Office reported that heavily-armed policemen assigned to the 106th Mobile Group have been ordered to patrol the water reservoir time and again.
In the Cordilleras, Chief Supt. Victor Luga, director of the Police Regional Office in the region, said the dam is considered to be one of the probable targets of the rebels in their continuing aggression against the government.
Perez, meanwhile, claimed that officials of the SRPC, NPC and other concerned government agencies are just waiting for the signal from Malacaņang as to when President Arroyo would inaugurate the dam to signal the start of its operations.
"(As) soon as President Arroyo inaugurates the dam, its commercial aspect would start," he added, saying that the dam is expected to be operational by the first week of May. "We are just going through some corrective measures concerning the facilities."
The dam has three units. The first and second units were already completed and have already been issued operations certificates. "We are hoping that unit three of the project will be issued an operations certificate, as well, by the end of April," Perez added.
Aside from the insurgency threats surrounding the operation of the dam, the SRPC is now facing the endorsement withdrawal of the municipality of Itogon for the project. "We are addressing this issue with the help of Presidential Assistant for North Luzon Renato Diaz. We are coming up with a consolidated response, which will be forwarded to the municipal government."
Perez also dismissed reports that the snowballing oppositions against the operation of the dam by local and international groups impede its scheduled operation.
Both local and international anti-dam groups have been clamoring for the Japan Bank International Cooperation (JBIC), the financer, not to release the balance due to alleged countless violations by the project proponent and the Philippine government in relation to the construction of the dam.
The antis claimed that countless indigenous peoples in the Benguet side of the project have been displaced but the dam proponent and the government are not addressing their concerns.
Perez, however, claimed that the NPC has processed and paid off 88 percent of the land claims while the owners of the houses and structures affected by the tail of the reservoir have been fully paid as of January this year. He likewise claimed that they have also disbursed more than P64 million-worth of infrastructure projects to the province of Benguet. (Sun.Star Baguio)
(April 16, 2003 issue)
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