'We opened our doors and hearts to them'
BACOLOD CITY -- In another attempt to reach out to the stakeholders of the Northern Negros Geothermal Project (NNGP), the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) welcomed the Fact Finding Team composed of 10 priests endorsed by Bishop Navarra to inspect and understand the issues on EDC's operation in the buffer zone last Dec. 4.
"Full access was given to the group who were allowed to take pictures of the buffer zone. EDC presented the project's history and the inside stories--how we did our best to make the Negrenses understand our project all these years," Gino de la Cruz, EDC's Resident Manager for its Northern Negros Geothermal Production Field said. "We opened our hearts and minds to them as we have nothing to hide and we believe they gave us also new insights into the issues," de la Cruz added. "The priests welcomed the openness of EDC."
The group of priests were also accompanied by Oversight Committee Chair, Board Member May Javellana and Oversight Committee member, Paul Lizares. Lizares is the President of the Negros Forest Ecological Foundation, Inc. (NFEFI), a well-respected environmental NGO in the province. On the same day, the Fact Finding Team discussed the same information with the Bishop and Presbyterian Council.
The priests were the first group of guests who were able to witness the EDC's buffer zone operation. EDC hopes that the priests had the same findings as the Oversight Committee members like BM Javellana and Gary Acuna. The latter had his apprehensions before the start of the project. But all his worries proved to be unfounded when he saw how EDC tried its best to save as many trees as possible. Its buffer zone team even rerouted several times just to avoid several big trees. As a result, only 12 out of the projected 34 big trees have been affected so far.
NFEFI President Lizares also expressed his satisfaction with how EDC was implementing its environmental plan in its steam augmentation project in the buffer zone. He added that the Oversight Committee should also monitor EDC's reforestation program afterwards. He spoke on behalf of the environmental NGO that he represents in the Oversight Committee.
As for all their endorsements, de la Cruz has this say: "While we thank all of them for their kind words for us, we are just doing our job to stay on course and comply with our environmental plans not merely to show off but because the Negrenses and our environment deserve nothing less."
"We do respect everyone's opinion on this matter. We will continue to extend our hand and be open to a dialogue with the Church. But at the same time, we would have to go on with our project in the buffer zone to deliver the power that the province needs by 2010."