CAGAYAN DE ORO -- While the Cagayan de Oro City Council approved last May 18 the construction of the six-megawatt biomass power plant in Barangay Tablon, some residents fear the negative effects it could bring to their community.
“Dili man na maayo, kay makadaot man na sa panglawas sa mga tao kay abog man na ug baho man na, saba pa gyud kaayo while ga-construct, sige'g dukduk (It’s not good since it is harmful to people’s health due to the bad effects it brings because of dust, smoke and the smell it produces, and while the construction is ongoing, there’s the banging sound that’s very loud)," said Teresita Camingue, 50, a resident of Purok 6.
Concepcion Santos, 75, told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that it would be better if construction of the power plant is stopped, as this would be no good for residents of the barangay.
"Sige lang mi ug reklamo ana sa barangay, wala man gyud gihapon aksyon, gikapoy nami (We always complain it to the barangay officials, but there are still no actions, we are tired of it)," she said.
Also, Erlinda Estrada, 49, said they did not know that a power plant would be built in the barangay. "Wala man gali mi kabalo nga magtukod diay sila ana," she said.
ECC issued
Sabdullah Abubacar, PhD, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau-Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR), told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro the proponents of the power plant submitted all the documents required by his office and has been issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
An ECC is a document issued by EMB-DENR after a positive review of the ECC application, certifying that based on the representations of the proponent, the proposed project or undertaking will not cause significant negative environmental impact.
"If it conforms and follows our standards and policies, (then) there is no other way but to approve it," said Abubacar.
The project should not cause significant negative environmental impact; the proponents should assure the mitigation of the identified environmental impacts; and compliance of all the necessary requirements, were the major bases in issuing the ECC to the proponents.
Asked about interventions on people's clamor, Abubacar said: "Wala ka namang makikitang industry na hindi makakasira sa health (There is no industry that doesn’t harm the health), and this (power plant) contribute much to our economy."
He also pointed out that Tablon is an industrial area. "The problem is when there is industry, there is also influx of people labina na ng naay ga-trabaho didto sad, until such time na mahimo na siyag community."
Abubacar also said that it is the job of the City Government to address the complaints of the people, not theirs.
'Public consultation'
Tablon barangay kagawad Angelo Pomar said a public consultation was conducted last year.
"We invited the residents from Purok 4 and 6, although dili gyud ta makaingon na tanan niadto, but still majority gyud to, and they all agreed to the construction," he said.
Pomar added that the power plant would not bring harmful effects to their community. "We, the punong barangay, are okay with this. This (power plant) doesn't bring negative effects to the people, considering that this is biomass and not coal-fired."
A biomass power plant generates fuel from scrap wood, forest resources, and other waste residues while coal-fired power plants generate electricity through burning coal.
However, Pomar said the power plant could possibly resort to coal if biomass supplies are not available.
Former barangay kagawad Samuel Galvez opposed the power plant construction, adding their barangay is already polluted. "Why do we have to add another reason for pollution?" he asked.
Samuel Olape, also a resident, complained that they never heard of the public consultation done in their barangay. "Ambot lang kay wala may gasuroy diri nga tukoran diay. Wala pa giingnan ang mga tao. "
'Power plant'
The Tablon power plant is a six-megawatt power plant built by and for the Cagayan de Oro Corn Products Corporation.
Abubacar said this addresses the power shortage occurring in the whole Mindanao. "However, this is only for the consumption of the company, so that its operations would not be interrupted by brownouts."
Pomar said one of their arrangements is that the residents would also be distributed with electricity if power outage occurs in their barangay. (With Mark Vincent Vergara and James Christian Andrew, MSU-Marawi interns/Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro)