Two outspoken members of the Sangguniang Panlalwigan Friday rose on the question of personal and collective privilege to denounce the proposed P1.3-B Cantakoy Dam Project in Danao town of what they branded as a “brazen disregard of the people’s right to know and a dangerous precedent if continually pursued even without public consultation and is tantamount to exploitation of our natural resources.” The two—Board Members Josephine Socorro Jumamoy of Inabanga and Romulo Cepedoza of Danao, took turns in making privilege speeches to make known their displeasure about the huge project which was envisioned to benefit the two towns they represent in the halls of the SP.

PROJECT PRESENTATION

Earlier, the Cantakoy Dam Project created quite a stir during the meeting of the Provincial Development Council (PDC) last February 27 of this year when proponents of the project, namely: the Quadriver Energy Corporation, the Sta. Clara Power Corp. and the Sta. Clara International Corp., which are all under the Ayala Group of Companies, were granted permission to formally present their group at the PDC. During the project presentation, it was then learned that the project proponents failed to properly and formally coordinate with the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Danao and Inabanga where the proposed project would be situated, it being proposed to be set up in-between the Wahig River of Inabanga and Cabatuan, Danao. The project, which is said to have an 8 megawatt (MW) capacity and could be an important and reliable source of electricity, could be an important element in the development plans of the province.

However, during the meeting, both board members voiced out their “passionate” concerns regarding the project which, they said, did not go through the usual processes as expected by the local government officials of Bohol. Fundamental issues cropped up, like the completion of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), municipal boundaries, social issues, and compliance with LGU resolutions, rules and regulations. In their speeches, the two second district lawmakers pointed out that their respective LGUs were not properly informed and kept posted on the project’s developments since it asked for a permission to conduct a Feasibility Study (FS) way back in 2004 from LGU-Inabanga, when Jumamoy was still the municipal mayor. During the discussions, Cepedoza informed the PDC that previous agreements on profit-sharing of the project went up in smoke as lawyer Ryan Acosta, Quadriver’s legal counsel, admitted that the Cantakoy Project is now a 100% Independent Power Producer (IPP). Jumamoy at that time pointed out that although a Geo-feasibility Test was being conducted in Inabanga for the project, still, nobody can fault LGU officials of their apprehensions and on insisting that they must be properly and formally informed of its progress; consequently clarifying however that they are not objecting to it especially if it would benefit the Boholanos.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Nestor Canda washed his hands when asked to clarify as regards to the issuance of the project’s ECC, stating that the issuance came from the office of the Regional Director of DENR-7; further clarifying that in its preparation, two studies must first be needed to be done: namely; a Feasibility Study and an Environmental Impact Study which are under the office of the DENR Regional Director, the appropriate office tasked to issue the ECC, considering the amount and depth of the project. As to the questions asked why they were not informed earlier when the project was still in its preparation stage, and why the proponents have not properly coordinated with the LGUs and the provincial government, Acosta revealed that they merely complied with the instructions given by the Department of Energy and presumed that compliance thereof would lend legitimacy to their group in seeing the project through to its completion and implementation. To resolve the concerns raised, Gov. Edgar Chatto requested Acosta and his team to have all the project’s papers ready for perusal by the Council on its next meeting. He then tasked the secretariat to set a date for the meeting to clarify all issues and concerns and to the satisfaction of all those involved in the project.

DANGEROUS PRECEDENT

In her speech, Jumamoy clearly raised her point to the highest level when she stressed that if left uncorrected and disregarded, the Cantakoy Project could set a “dangerous precedent” and that “Boholanos will wake up one day with its natural resources exploited;” hence, also “not surprising if one day, Bohol’s bulk water will also end up sold to nearby Cebu” and other provinces having inadequate water supply and hydro power.” This came about as a result of a letter dated April 12, 2012, addressed to the PDC by Dominador R. Borje Jr., Quadriver’s EVP and COO, in response to the communications sent to the corporation by the PDC last March 12, 2012. In the letter response, Borje resorted to “innuendos” suggesting that, quote, “The PDC will not allow itself to be in a forum where an ‘exclusively private investment venture’ such as ours, be improperly embroiled in contending political interests.”

RESOLUTION TO STOP THE MEGA PROJECT

To clearly manifest her concern, Jumamoy passed two resolutions, mass seconded and mass approved by SP Members:

Firstly, asking the DENR and the Department of Energy (DOE) to stop all activities and constructions at the Cantakoy Hydro Power Plant for non-observance of environmental regulations imposed by the DENR pursuant to Section XIII, Paragraph 13.2, sub-paragraph I (c) and sub-paragraph II of the Hydropower Service Contract between the DOE and Sta. Clara Power Corporation; and Secondly, that a parallel and separate study be requested by the Provincial Government from the experts of the University of the Philippines (UP) in order to apprise the people of Bohol of the extent and effects of the Project. Earlier, LGU-Inabanga, through its Sangguniang Bayan (SB) passed two resolutions manifesting its concern and apprehensions, requesting the provincial government to look into the legitimacy in the process of securing the necessary preliminary clearances and required documents of the Project.

PUBLIC BETRAYAL

In his separated speech, Cepedoza said the Cantakoy Dam Project is a “public betrayal at its highest level” considering that proper protocol was clearly not followed by its proponents by its “unilateral exclusion of the Province of Bohol and the Municipalities of Inabanga and Danao.” Clearly knowing that they would both be accused of politicking, as already stated in his letter response to the PDC by Borje, both Cepedoza and Jumamoy clearly expressed that they are doing this due to the willful and intentional refusal of the project proponents to include all the stakeholders in the social preparation of the Project by deliberately and intentionally neglecting the LGUs concerned, especially the provincial government and the people of Bohol. While both members agreed on the “the real issue”, what was of paramount importance here is public welfare and sound environmental management, which were completely disregarded by the Project proponents, on their expedient excuse that said project is an exclusively private investment venture.” ( With reports from jlvEDCom)