EDC project on MKNP buffer zone has negligible effect on biodiversity
Energy Development Corporation (EDC) yesterday stressed that the project development at the Mt. Kanlaon National Park (MKNP) buffer zone will have negligible effects on the overall biodiversity due to the size of the area which is 17% (29. ha.) of the 169-hectare buffer zone and 0.1% of the park.
Reiner Medrano, manager of EDC's Corporate Social Responsibility cited the result of the biodiversity study conducted in December 2006 - October 2007 by the Maunsel Philippines and peer-reviewed by Dr. Perry Ong and Dr. Dan Lagunsad of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology.
The actual area to be developed is 12.5 hectares which is only 7% of the buffer zone and 0.05% of the park.
EDC and the Save the Mt. Kanlaon Coalition were present at the MKNP 101 Forum "The Truth about our Inconvenience" organized by the Kapisan ng mga Brodcaster ng Pilipinas, Negros Occidental Chapter held at the Planta Hotel yesterday.
EDC was represented by Medrano, Environmental Senior Supervisor Erwin Magallanes and Engr. Joey Higgins, Community Partnership and Development Officer.
The Save Mt. Kanlaon Coaltion was represented by Doods Locsin, Elenor Cabanilla and Edwin Balajadia.
The group of panelists was Rey Malleza, Supervisor of the Department of Energy, Alexander Ganes, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Fort Sibayan, Atty. Emilio Vidad and Nonie Tamayo.
Students from private and public schools attended the said forum and they were given the chance to raise some questions to all parties.
Locsin was the one who made the representation and she strongly believes that EDC's expansion project will harm the environment especially the protected area.
But EDC defended that their project is covered by Geothermal Service Contract last March 1994. There is also a law – RA 9184 or the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park where in Section 5 of said law established the 169-ha. buffer zone for geothermal development.
Moreover, Mr. Malleza of the DOE said that Negros Occidental has a 32 megawatt deficit during peak hours.
"For now there is no power crisis yet. But we already lack reserves. If ever one plant gets in trouble, the whole system will be affected. We cannot sustain our dependency to the Leyte-Cebu-Negros power grid because the system is very vulnerable," he said.
Meanwhile, KBP Chairman Ralph Belzunce called on a member of the Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition to stop soliciting signatures from students during the forum yesterday saying that, "this forum is fair and neutral and soliciting signatures from students are highly discouraged."
Several students who were approached by a member of the Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition refused to sign. But one student was told by the said person, "Why are you not signing because you're a scholar of the EDC?" The student concerned stood on her decision that she will not sign the petition by the group opposing the EDC expansion project.