Groups slams Tupas for forcing RDC to endorse coal projects

The Responsible Ilonggos for Sustainable Energy (Rise) called as “highly irregular” the act of Gov. Niel Tupas of forcing the Regional Development Council (RDC) to endorse the proposed coal fired power plant projects in Iloilo.

The group noted that the project proponents have not yet conducted the feasibility studies or the required environmental and health impact assessments.

Also, the proponents have not secured the necessary clearances from the respective agencies like the Department of Agrarian Reform and the National Water Regulatory Board.

Melvin Purzuelo of Green Forum–Western Visayas said that the endorsement of the RDC will render inutile its function to review all projects with investments above P300 million.

“For why should the RDC review a project that it has already endorsed?” Purzuelo asked.

Rise learned that in the recent RDC meeting Tupas tried to get the approval of the RDC for the coal-fired power plants in the towns of Concepcion and Barotac Viejo.

The project proponents will use the RDC endorsement as guarantee to the international financial institutions for loans they will incur in establishing the coal-fired power plants.

Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) noted that international financial institutions like the World Bank and the US EXIM Bank require the RDC endorsement as guarantee for loans to be acquired by private corporations.

Rise observed that the governor violated the rules of the RDC for pushing the endorsement of the projects even though these have not passed the relevant committees of the council.

Last June 16, 2005, Mirant Global and the mayors of Concepcion and Barotac Viejo presented the  project to the RDC Executive Committee (Execom) meeting. After the presentation, Gov. Tupas tried to pass a resolution endorsing the projects.

Other members reminded the RDC Execom that neither the Iloilo Provincial Development Council (PDC) nor any RDC Committee has endorsed the projects. The Execom decided to call for a joint meeting of all the committees on July 8, 2005 that will be preceded by the Iloilo PDC meeting on July 5.

A 100 MW coal fired power plant cost about P8 billion.

The RDC has committees on development administration, economic development, infrastructure development, social development, and regional land-use that review projects presented for RDC endorsement.

The Iloilo Provincial Board rejected last year a similar project proposed in the municipality of Banate through Resolution No. 04-134. Some members of the provincial board opined that unless repealed with another resolution, the official position of the provincial government remains: Iloilo rejects the entry of coal plants anywhere in the province.