The people of Danao are saddened by the increasing rhetoric against the ongoing hydro project in Barangay Cabatuan saying it is one of the best things that ever happened to the town. “For a long time, our town had been left behind by civilization and very few people cared for us,” Danao Mayor Tomas Gonzaga said in an exclusive interview. The mayor said the increasing verbal attacks on the proposed Cantakoy Hydropower Plant (CHP) are uncalled for and unkind. “It is very unfortunate that all sorts of verbal allegations are being thrown at the project which now makes it appear like it is anomalous and illegal,” Gonzaga added. The mayor wondered why the CHP is reaping all sorts of bad publicity which was not the case of at least two other hydropower projects established earlier in Bohol.

He said the hydropower projects in Hanopol, Balilihan and in Sevilla were undertaken with none of the allegations raised against them. “There have been no shortcuts as suggested because the project proponents complied with the necessary steps,” he explained. Gonzaga said he would not mind if the same processes now being demanded from CHP were also complied with by the proponents of the hydro projects in Balilihan and Sevilla. “Why is Cantakoy being treated differently? Why is it being singled out?” he asked. Gonzaga made it clear he is hurt by the fate of the hydro projects especially over allegations of impropriety. “This is giving the wrong signal to responsible investors like Ayala which is now being made to appear like it went through a shortcut in this project,” he added. The Danao mayor said Quadriver Corporation complied with all the requirements but it should not be forced to do what is not required by law because that would be “too much”.

He stressed that those who claim otherwise can avail of legal options. “It is not the fault of the project proponent if there are people who want to find fault in the project,” he added. Gonzaga said the people of his town are particularly upset with Board Member Romulo Cepedoza and his brother, Vice Mayor Jose Cepedoza because they are making the project look bad for their own interest. “Vice Mayor Cepedoza wants to appear like a champion of the environment which is not how he looks if a complaint he is facing before the Ombudsman for quarrying in a timberland is any basis,” the mayor added. Gonzaga also wondered why Board Member Cepedoza has suddenly been critical of the project when he supported it during the initial stages. “When he opposed the budget of the town for no apparent reason, you will start to suspect that he has other things in mind aside from ‘environmental concerns’,” he added.

The mayor pointed out that the project is entirely in Danao and is a particular concern of the host community. “The hydro projects in Balilihan and Sevilla were the primary concerns of the people in those towns,” he added. Gonzaga is credited as the architect of the giant strides made by Danao in eco-tourism which has resulted to huge gains in its domestic economy which in turn helped improved social services to its residents. The mayor said that for a long time, Danao remained in the shadows while other towns in Bohol grew by leaps and bounds. “Now that we have an opportunity to grow largely because of our own resources, there are outside forces who now want to deprive us of this opportunity,” he added. Gonzaga said doomsday fears now raised by its opponents are “unkind” because it is like wishing bad luck to befall on others. “The project proponents are willing to calm the fears of the worse case scenarios being raised by opponents but it is strange that no such fears were raised in the case of Balilihan and Sevilla,” he added. Gonzaga expressed confidence that the people of Danao would be able to overcome this latest adversity in their struggle for a better life. “We have not committed any crime and we are not bothering other people so we hope they will allow us this to take this step toward a better life in peace,” he concluded.