Skip to main content

Ilocos Norte dads blast 4.9MW solar project in Burgos

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.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

 Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said.    Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy.   18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi