By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
Responding to a provincial ordinance
mandating all business investors to submit a detailed list of their Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) projects prior to endorsement, the North Luzon
Renewable Energy Corporation (NLREC) bared on Feb. 27 their CSR program worth
P23.3 million to benefit host communities over the next three years.
In September 2013, the host barangays of Caparispisan and Balaoi
welcomed the construction of an 81-megawatt (MW) wind power farm by the NLREC,
formerly known as Northern Luzon UPC Asia.
In a public hearing held at the provincial session hall on Feb.
27, Atty. Wilfredo Peñaflor, NLREC president presented to the Ilocos Norte
board the company’s three-year CSR program to benefit at least six
municipalities and one city with the construction of transmission lines from
the host municipality of Pagudpud to Laoag City.
Of the total P23,268,140 budget for the years 2014 to 2016, Peñaflor
said at least 70 percent goes to Pagudpud while the remaining 30 percent will
be shared by other host villages where the transmission lines pass through.
These include the municipalities of Bangui, Burgos, Pasuquin, Bacarra, Vintar
and Laoag City.
“That is just an initial amount. We have a contract for 20 years
and we are here to stay for good,” Peñaflor told members of the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan during the public hearing also attended by members of the Pagudpud
town council led by Pagudpud Vice Mayor Rex Benemerito.
Included in the proposed CSR program covers specific projects
for:
a) environment and climate change adaptation such as
establishment of seedlings nursery, reforestation of the 50-hectare Ayoyo and
Dikong watersheds in Pagudpud, forest protection initiatives, disaster risk
reduction and management planning and capacity building;
b) infrastructure development such establishment of street
lights, small water impounding projects, farm-to-market roads, fencing of
communal grazing area, c)livelihood such as employment assistance, livestock
dispersal and at least four college scholarship grants to take engineering,
sciences and accounting-related courses to cover tuition fees, book allowance
and monthly stipend;
d) health and sanitation such as provision of 30 units deep-well
pumps, medicines and medical equipment and construction of public comfort rooms;
and
e) socio-cultural development, which directly benefits the
indigenous people or indigenous cultural community and support to local
government unit.
Once approved, a memorandum of understanding will be signed
between the Ilocos Norte government and the private investors to formalize the
commitment as agreed in the proposed CSR program.
Earlier, the Ilocos Norte board passed a CSR ordinance requiring
all business investors in the province to submit their proposed CSR projects
prior to the passage of a resolution of endorsement and support by the board.
By June, the initial first phase of the project is expected to
be connected to the grid with at least 32 wind turbines and having double the
strength of the 33-MW Bangui wind power plant.
NLREC is a joint venture of Ayala Corporation’s AC Energy
Holdings, Inc. (ACEHI), UPC Renewables, and Philippine Investment Alliance for
Infrastructure (PINAI). The company tapped Siemens Wind Power A/S and Siemens
Inc. for the supply and installation of the project’s wind turbines.
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