BY: ROI ANTHONI B. LOMOTAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 13 (PIA) – In response to the issue over the alleged massive cutting down of trees in some areas of Mount Talinis in Valencia, Negros Oriental, some officials of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) clarified that the energy firm maintains an environment-friendly operation in the said area.
The clarification was made during a Kapihan Forum here with EDC officials as guest panelists.
Ecosystems Care Department Head of EDC, Atty. Allan Barcena denied these allegations saying EDC has already minimized its cutting of trees around its concession area.
“These are not massive tree cutting, and these are not century-old (trees). There were several large diameter trees but most of these are small to medium diameter class. Ang iba po rito ay lesser known species,” Barcena said.
EDC’s Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field (SNGPF) in Valencia town has a concession area of 60,000 hectares but Barcena mentioned that energy firm’s development bloc or part of the land area where the power plants are located are just small portions of their concession.
Furthermore, EDC tries its best to minimize the cutting of trees but unfortunately, some of them are needed to be cut for the construction of their access road and other facilities.
However, Barcena assured the public that EDC plants 100 tree seedlings for every tree they have cut down. He added that their planting sites are located in the protected areas and watersheds of Mt. Talinis.
Barcena stressed that the renewable energy firm remains committed in protecting Mt. Talinis’ watershed and forest area since they also rely on it for their operation.
He explained that geothermal steam which they harness from earth’s core is basically a water-based product, so if these forest and watershed areas are destroyed then the energy firm will no longer be able to gather steam.
“We share your concern and passion in protecting our forests because our business relies on these watersheds and forests,” Atty. Barcena added.
It can be recalled that recently that environment groups in Negros Oriental slammed EDC in another Kapihan Forum for allegedly cutting trees in Mt. Talinis which threaten the watershed areas and wildlife diversity in the province.
EDC Vice President for SNGPF, Engr. Dwight Maxino addressed the issue and told environmental groups that as a renewable energy company, it is imperative for them to implement programs that would take care of the environment.
Maxino cited the EDC’s Binhi program which is the energy firm’s contribution to DENR’s National Greening Program.
BINHI is part of EDC’s corporate social responsibility which aims to plant indigenous forest trees to restore denuded forestland due to EDC activity and that will later on become new forests and attract bio-diversity of species.
In 2013, around 2, 700 hectares of forestland have been reforested because of the BINHI program.
“It is really in our interest to protect our forests and our watersheds so that we will continue to get resources from the earth. Kung pinabayaan po natin ang forest natin, kami rin po ang magsa-suffer dahil later on wala kaming makukuhang steam,” Atty. Barcena conclude. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)