By JUNE S. BLANCO

REP. Erico Aumentado (2 nd District, Bohol) has recommended a meeting of the Provincial Development Council (PDC) to consider the case of the proposed Cantakoy Hydropower Plant (CHP) in Sua, Inabanga and Cabatuan, Danao, both in Bohol. This after a team led by Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Nestor Canda has submitted its findings on the verified location of the project. In his leter to Gov. Edgardo Chatto who chairs the PDC, the solon suggested any Friday after the Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) activities this month, to allow the three congressmen of Bohol to attend as Congress has no sessions on Fridays, except during the budgeting period. Aumentado, in whose district the proposed project is located, suggested that the meeting discusses the compliance of the requirements of social preparation, water rights, environmental compliance certificate (ECC), environmental impact assessment study and necessary permits from local authorities; permits from the proper government authorities to commission the construction of the estimated P1.3 billion facility.

He also proposes to discuss the package of benefits the local government units (LGUs) of Inabanga and Danao stand to get – realty tax, share of the national wealth, corporate social responsibility and others.  The two are riparian towns of the Inabanga River where the CHP will draw the water to power its turbines to generate electricity. The solon also suggested to discuss the compensation package for property owners adversely affected by the backwaters and downstream flow of water used by the power plant as well as the compensation package for those with vested rights such as permittees of sand and gravel extraction from the downstream portion of the Inabanga River, reckoned from the power generation dam. The permittees, according to authorities, will suffer from diminution of river sand and gravel from upstream of Inabanga River because the power dam would stop their natural flow downstream. In five years’ time, it is calculated that the permittee areas will no longer have any supply of sand and gravel to extract. This means, the permittees therein will suffer tremendous losses of future income and job generation of the manpower force for extraction of the sand and gravel. An alternative solution could be discussed also in that meeting.

The solon also wants that the issues on who spent for the controversial access road constructed leading to the proposed CHP. who authorized such construction, the funding source and the justification if government funds are being used for the purpose be clarified. He emphasized the need to balance the necessity for investments, especially power generation, and the benefits due to Inabanga and Danao, as well as the just compensation for those having vested rights of the sand and gravel business who will be affected by the power project. He suggested that the project proponents directly address the issues to assuage the anxiety of the proponents and LGUs concerned, and the general public as well. The solon added that he learned that QuadRiver Corporation representatives invited to the last PDC meeting did not attend for fear of politicized issues. “But it is my educated guess that their fear is more on the lack of specific issues and concerns that they will have to address,” he said.

To note, during the previous meeting, the representatives allegedly prepared only for the presentation on the project, not for the questions raised. They felt that they were “ambushed” because they were not given beforehand the parameters for discussion. Aumentado also suggested that apart from the QuadRiver officials invited in the past meetings, Nicandro Linao, chair of Sta. Clara International Power Corp., shall also be invited to clear some of the issues. Sta. Clara was the original corporate project proponent until it agreed on a joint venture with the Ayala Power Corporation. He would have wanted that Engr. Asisclo Gonzaga, the original brain of the Cantakoy project, be invited also. But since Gonzaga is still recuperating from an ailment which prevents him from attending the PDC meeting, Linao be invited in his stead to shed light on issues which QuadRiver may not be in the position to answer. He further suggested that the parameters of the PDC meeting he requested be specified so as to dispel any suspicion that the LGU-Bohol and leaders, himself included, are anti-investment of projects necessary to boost the province’s economy, or are not sensitive to the requirements of just compensation to LGUs Inabanga and Danao and individuals with properties and vested rights adversely affected by the project.

“I think the PDC can find a happy compromise for all parties concerned through fairness, equitable give-and-take and sincerity to comply with any covenant of understanding,” he concluded. He furnished with copies of his letter Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, Reps. Rene Relampagos and Arthur Yap of the 1 st and 3 rd Districts, respectively, Board Members Romulo Cepedoza and Josephine Socorro Jumamoy who earlier gave privilege speeches ventilating their apprehensions on the project, Mayors Louis Thomas Gonzaga of Danao and Jose Jono Jumamoy of Inabanga, Linao of Sta. Clara, Dominador Borje of QuadRiver and Provincial Planning Officer John Titus Vistal.