By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
Laoag
City—A 4.9 megawatt solar project of the
Energy Development Corp. (EDC) in Burgos town, about 49 kilometers from Laoag
City is ready for testing and commissioning anytime but members of the Ilocos
Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan refused to endorse it after EDC failed to seek
the provincial government’s endorsement prior to its construction.
Under Provincial Ordinance No. 010-2014, project proponents and investors in Ilocos
Norte are now required to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Ilocos Norte
government, incorporating their specific plans and projects pertaining to corporate
social responsibility (CSR).
This came out following the investment
boom in the province yet there has been minimal returns felt by its host
communities.
In accordance with Republic
Act No. 9513, also known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, it states that
all energy explorations, development, utilization and renewable energy systems
or operations shall comply with existing environment regulations as prescribed
by the DENR and other concerned government agencies.
Despite having secured a
Certificate of Registration No. SESC 2014-07-088 issued by the Department of
Energy, SP member Atty. Vicente Lazo said, “Endorsement should have been sought
prior to its construction” as mandated by the CSR ordinance.
On February 20, 2015, the EDC
wrote a letter to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan requesting for the favorable
endorsement of the solar project that is now 100 percent completed.
“This is a sign of
disrespect, placing the cart before the horse,” Mr. Lazo lamented.
On March 9, 2015, the
provincial board passed Resolution No. 2015-03-111 condemning the act of EDC in constructing and putting into operation
its Burgos solar project without first securing endorsement from the Ilocos
Norte government.
For his part, Reman Chua,
project manager of the Burgos project said in an earlier committee hearing held
at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall on March 5 that the company
sincerely apologized for its “misstep” and that the company recognized its
failure to secure the SP endorsement.
The board has also questioned
EDC’s construction of “overpriced” hand washing facilities last year as part of
its corporate social responsibility in support of health and sanitation projects
when EDC constructed its 150-MW wind power farm in the same town.
From January to June in 2014,
the same firm had initially allotted P1.8 million for the construction of
public toilets in at least 12 schools in Laoag City during the construction of
its transmission lines connecting to the grid.
Aside from this, at least 25
out of the 55 toilets were also promised by the EDC to put up in 2014 and the
remaining 35 shall be constructed in the coming years but until now, only a few
were set up and some are already reported not functioning. Each hand washing
facility costs P180, 000.
According to Mr. Chua, EDC
has commissioned a contractor to construct the hand washing facilities to
identified schools in the province. He assured they will look into the proper
implementation of its CSR project.
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