Council: Ludo should address social concerns on power plant

CEBU, Philippines - Majority of the members of the Cebu City Council suggested to Ludo Power Corporation to work on the concerns they have raised in disapproving the proposed coal-fired power plants in Barangay Sawang Calero.

Councilor Nida Cabrera said Ludo should address the issues like lack of social acceptability and the non-submission of environmental impact assessment study. Cabrera acknowledged the need for additional power supply in the city but it should be built in an area that is not densely populated.

“Naa bitaw tay need for power but ang DOE (Department of Energy) nihangyo nga change to renewable energy kay ingon sila mahal ang solar but nag anam-anam naka reduce ang price sa market ani and mag-alternative nasad ta kay naay existing coal plants, dili nata kinahanglan mopuno,” she said.

“If dili mada kay we need more power, dili lang siguro sa syudad kanang sa layo,” she added.

Cabrera, chairperson of the council’s committee on environment, said the proposed power plant will be constructed in the center of a densely populated area in violation of the city’s zoning ordinance.

She said Ludo can either look for another area or if it will insist, the people in Barangay Sawang Calero may be relocated, adding that the company has always an option to refile its proposal.

“Kun naay social acceptability, walay problema. If mga tawo okey, comply lang sad sa among mga points,” she added.

Councilor Noel Wenceslao, for his part, said he has not thought of refiling the resolution endorsing the project. Wenceslao later withdrew.

“Wa ko maghunahuna. They have the right to refile. Siguro such time nga mausab ang report. If ever ma address ang points like social acceptability, there’s a possibility,” he said.

Wenceslao said the city is in need of additional power supply because of its economic growth.

“I don’t know with them. Kay we’re not manufacturer. They have to look into that. If ever there will be one, follow environmental impact,” he said when asked of the possible transfer of the site.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Melanie Ng said Ludo might be able to push for the project once again after it is able to comply with the needed requirements especially on environmental permits.

“That's probably why they have to work on the permits and present to the City Council and let them know that they have acquired all the permits and all the stakeholders. You also need the buy-in of the community and they have to be assured that all the environmental concerns have been addressed,” she said.

CCCI earlier expressed its support for the project as long as environmental requirements are complied with.

“The viability of the project is not in question, it’s the environmental concern. So, probably once they are able to address the environmental concerns and then the commercial viability and the help that it contributes to power problem will be justified,” Ng said, adding that additional power supply within the city is needed to support the economic growth.

Ng said Ludo is in the process of applying to be a member of CCCI.

“We need it to support the economic growth of the city and the province, there’s a need for increase of power supply,” she said.

She, however, said that renewable energy is always  a “better option.” — (FREEMAN)