THE municipal government of Balingasag, Misamis Oriental is planning to relocate residents living near the 165-megawatt Minergy coal-fired power plant in barangay Mandangoa.
Balingasag town mayor Marrietta Abogado said the local government will coordinate with the management of Minergy in looking for a lot and the housing project.
She said about 100 families will be affected with the relocation.
Abogado said she is concerned of the health of the residents which prompted her to consider moving them away from the power plant.
"Para nako dili angay magpuyo near the power plant so I hope malantaw na sa Minergy ug matagaan pagtagad. Pwede man kami mangita sa lot then makigtimbayayong lang dayon mi sa Minergy para sa housing (For me it is not good for them to live near the power plant so I hope the Minergy could help address it. We can help look for the lot then we can coordinate with Minergy for the housing)," Abogado said.
It can be recalled that the Provincial Board last December 2017, had looked into the reports and complaints of residents about the supposed pollution in the area such as unusual warming of the seawater, foul odor, loud noise and 'toxic' ashes from the plant's stock pile carried by the wind towards the houses and farms within the vicinity of the plant.
An increase of health-related problems of residents and low agricultural productivity were also reported.
Abogado said there was already a resolution that the power plant will have to dispose its wastes and ashes in an area far from the residents.
"Naa nay resolution ana and naa nay area nila nga labayanan sa abog og sa mga wastes (There is a resolution already for that and the Minergy has an area already where they can dispose their wastes and ashes)," Abogado said.
The mayor said the affected residents may be relocated to areas where they can still do their livelihood.
"Pananglitan dili sila mosugot ma relocate kay kasagara nila ana are fisherfolks, pangitaan natog lain nga area (If they don't agree with the relocation because most of them are fisher folks, we can look for another area)," Abogado said.
"This is for their protection. So far kanang ginagmay nga (these minor) health problems like ubo (cough) dili mana tungod gyud sa (is not really because of the ) coal plant and dili siya (and it's not) alarming. Ang ako lang (For me it ) is to protect the people kay (because) prevention is better than cure," she added.