BANATE

Annotation:
This article is a reflection after being left out by a new friend I met last December. He said he is scheduled to go to Banate Iloilo for a camping which strucked me the most to write something about it.

Change had been in the forefront of our midst. Throughout the centuries, it is still obliterating the mind of every individual whose thirst for machinations seem to be insatiable. This individual equipped with his mundane mind hovered by echoes of spirits and minds of saints now stands in the frontier of modern age. Yet their kind has been constantly wallowing in the depths of mediocrity – with their roots tangled in a consciousness where nature is disdained, neglected, and abused.

But in the place where the minds are molded and hearts are shaped, some remained to be suspects, criminals, and wicked for nature. They always die for power – for money as they believe that technology makes its own way to achieve strength using the environment.

In this era where technology continues to ensnare the minds of their kind, their desire for profit plays a big role. As they continue to purport this mantra, they remain to squeeze up every single part of our dear mother earth. They still want more power, more money, and more abuses.


BANATE, ILOILO- A Korean firm plans the construction of a 150- million-dollar coal-fired power plant in this town amidst all the disapproval of residents and mounting opposition to the project.

Korean Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the municipal government to conduct studies for the construction of the plant under a build-own-and-operate scheme. Build-own-and-operate scheme is under the Republic Act No. 7718 Section 2(d). It is a contractual arrangement whereby a project proponent is authorized to finance, construct, own, operate and maintain an infrastructure or development facility from which the proponent is allowed to recover its total investment, operating and maintenance costs plus a reasonable return thereon by collecting tolls, fees, rentals or other charges from facility users: Provided, That all such projects, upon recommendation of the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), shall be approved by the President of the Philippines. Under this project, the proponent who owns the assets of the facility may assign its operation and maintenance to a facility operator.

Despite widespread opposition from various sectors, KEPCO said the plant was environmentally safe because it would utilize Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion (CFBC) technology.

But opponents of the project led by the Banatenhon Against Coal-fired Plant and the People's Response for the Protection of the Environment (PROTECT) presented studies of coal plants in the Philippines and abroad, which had caused environmental damage especially to communities near the plants.

Bayan Muna Representative Siegfred Deduro said he would author a resolution, seeking to scrap the project.
Deduro said the project would cause "incalculable damage" to the livelihood of the people and environment of the coastal towns of Northern Iloilo.

The project also faces opposition in the provincial board where at least four board members--Henry Anotado, Bienvenido Margarico, Romeo Palmares and Igmedio Prado--have declared their opposition to the plant.

The X Analysis: There are a lot of adverse effects on the planned 150- million-dollar coal-fired power plant. Studies show that it could harm the sea environment that could lead illnesses and mutations. In short, it would greatly affect the residents of Banate Iloilo.

But the effect is not just limited to the people in Banate Iloilo. This is the reason why so many concerned citizens, students, writers, artists, and the likes are in opposition for this plan even though some of them are not from Banate. We are all affected most especially the business sector.

All the businesses acts in our environment and thus when its environment is neglected and abused there’s no more reason for the business to survive. In strict sense, we can make up to a point that the environment is connected with the business sector. This makes the effect of the planned power plant a big threat in the business environment.

Without even thinking, there are two possibilities – the plant will be constructed or it will be shelved. These two possibilities as all of these are possible leads in different effects in our business sector.

If the plant will be constructed, our government will not necessarily benefit a thing for the project not until the period for the transfer of ownership are due. In fair understanding, the government will own the plant when the Korean firms are satisfied with their profit. Now, if ever project is constructed, the government is not directly involved in the operation of the plant. In this case, the plant will absolutely be free to raise their rates. Since the KEPCO plant serves the entire Western Visayas, all the businesses will be affected. As electric rates rises, there is a tendency of a lesser profit for local businesses. If this happens, consumers tend to buy less for the increases in price of common commodity or in a longer span of time, a limit to their buying habits. As there would be limited buyers, local investors would refrain from investing. This will result to a poor business environment with no such opportunities from their usual customers. In the global aspect, we will expect that there would be numerous offers for the government especially from foreign companies with the aid of the BOT schemes. More will invest to our country as they are sure of having a profit. There is actually a positive impact for these foreign investors NOT for us. Note that the BOT schemes promote freedom for these foreign companies to use our natural environment for business. In this particular scheme

If the plant will be shelved, our local business industry will be at normal operation. No hindrances for the environment, no danger for the Banatenhon, and no added problems to anyone.

The X Recommendation: The only recommendation to this matter is for the government to hear the cries of our fellow kababayans in Banate – that is to scrap off the plan.

The government must fairly visualize and know all the bad effects of the plan by formulating further studies. Indeed that the researches made by the opposition will thoroughly make the government realize how it will greatly ruin the environment. Although we will expect that more foreign companies will invest in our country if we have the plant, we still must not destroy and abuse our environment – our local business environment.

The government must likewise render necessary laws to protect our environment. Protecting our environment will mean protecting our local businesses. They must form different research department to gather more information for any other construction planned by any company. The investigation of different plants throughout the world must also be considered as basis for the effectiveness of any other plan of construction.


X' SOURCES:www.asianjournal.com/cgi-bin/view_info.cgi?code=00002105&category=, Korean Firm To Shelve Coal Plant Without Village Nod.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7718, “The Philippine BOT Law”, REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Congress Of The Philippines Metro Manila