| HEADING
HEDCOR
(1st & 2nd of the 3 Series)
 |
By
DOUGLAS RA. CAGAS
LLB, MBE, MNSA |
First
of the 3 series
Is
the Province of Davao del Sur ‘anti’ or ‘pro’
development? This is a very relevant question that certainly
twists or confuses those minds that are considered alive with
regards to what Davao del Sur would be in the next ten or
fifteen years from now. With the entry of the Hydro Electric
Development Corp. (HEDCOR) Sibulan, Inc., an Aboitiz company,
that will tap the Sibulan and Baroring Rivers in Sta. Cruz,
Davao del Sur, with an estimated power generation of 42.5
megawatts, the thinking men of Davao del Sur are at the horns
of a dilemma - the equally undesirable alternatives between
which choice must be made.
A
Dilemma
In
my level as the Governor of the Province of Davao del Sur,
I have to respect the outcome of the tedious process in which
the HEDCOR Sibulan, Inc. had undergone to gain approval of
its entry. It is my prerogative to base my thoughts on this
issue that as long as there is a wise use of the resources
that God had entrusted to us to be its steward, for the benefits
of the majority without damaging the essence of environment,
then my support and endorsement of the project is without
question. Although the wisdom of my choices can be questioned,
but the lessons we learned are important ones. It is my belief
that the misguided optimism of developments perceived by mere
necessity will bring us to a very dangerous position and in
the end that damaged environment will make us accountable
of its wrath of revenge. Look what had happened to Ormoc,
Leyte and other areas, which lambasted the environment.
This 42.5 – megawatt Sibulan Hydropower Project (SHP)
is one of the largest investments of the Aboitiz group in
the hydropower generation business. The construction of two
cascading run-of-river hydropower plants, its accessories
and roads is worth P5 billion. This includes the construction
of five drop intakes; more than 16 kilometers of steel conveyance
pipes and conveyance lines to divert the water from the rivers
to the plants; and about 27 kilometers of transmission lines
to connect the plants to a Davao Light and Power Company substation.
With
this kind of huge investment, I believe Aboitiz group has
that complete reliance on the peace and order situation not
only of the area but also of the whole Province of Davao del
Sur. However, there were reports that the NPA will extort
HEDCOR Sibulan, Inc., but I believe that was another angle
for us to be on guard always. Fears are conquered through
actions, and they are only intensified by avoidance. Failed
attempts can be painful and humbling, but refusing to make
a legitimate effort to reach a worthwhile goal leads without
exception to the ultimate failure. I am glad that the top
management of Aboitiz group is with me in this principle,
during the ‘ceremonial groundbreaking’ last September
7, 2007, held at the Sibulan Barangay Hall, in which I was
the Guest Speaker.
HEDCOR
Sibulan, Inc. claimed that damages to nature would be minimal
during the construction period. Is it a minimal damage to
construct a 1.2 kilometer tunnel along Baroring River? Will
the watershed be not affected? And what about the plight of
the indigenous people in the area? That because of this so-called
‘pro development’, position Tudaya would be another
Barangay Kapatagan? Can we allow Tudaya Falls will be another
Maria Cristina Falls? To be or not to be, will be given light
in the next series.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second
of the 3 series
The
first of the 3 series of this feature article ended with questions
like, ‘Could we allow sitio Tudaya to be another *Barangay
Kapatagan?’ ‘Will the watershed not be affected?’
‘Is Tudaya Falls another Maria Cristina Falls in the
making?’ ‘And what about the plight of indigenous
people in the area?’
A
Meticulous Study
In the early months of 2006, a Technical Working Group (TWG)
composed of engineers, accountant, business administration
graduates and law students was formed to thoroughly investigate
and study what HEDCOR really is. The members of this group
were selected from among the thinking employees of LGU-Sta.
Cruz. After the conduct of that thorough and tedious study,
positive recommendations exceeded the negative. The same went
through from the separate study conducted by NCIP, DENR, PAMB,
and other concern agencies. The outcome only shows that an
optimistic attitude is a tool to a long term change.
In
my research, the HEDCOR Sibulan, Inc. process of operation
is this. The water from Baroring and Sibulan Rivers will be
diverted to pipeline systems that pass through a forebay.
In the forebay, the water will be removed of its sand and
silt then it will be conveyed down further by a penstock to
the hydraulic turbines installed at the powerhouse. The water
will then impinge on the runner blades of the turbines causing
a rotating motion and will convert the hydraulic energy to
mechanical energy. Since the turbines are directly coupled
to generators, such energy will be converted into electrical
energy. The water used to turn the turbines will flow back
to the Sibulan River. There is no loss of water. The sport
of Tubing in Sibulan River will go on. The beauty of the Tudaya
Falls will remain as it is. Why? It is because the powerhouse
with that turbines will be constructed at about 1.5 kilometers
away and above up current from Tudaya Falls. Therefore, the
speculations that Tudaya Falls will be another Maria Cristina
Falls is far and beyond imagination of being true.
Pollution-free
According
to study, hydroelectric power generation is considered environment
friendly because it is pollution free. There will be no toxic
gasses, smoke, ashes, nor radioactive residues that will result
from operation of the facility. The facility will not also
emit greenhouse gasses (GHGs), which are responsible for global
warming. Therefore, sitio Tudaya will never be another Barangay
Kapatagan.
The
Project will contribute to the sustainable development and
betterment of the social and economic situation of the local
residents in a number of ways. As a community share for affected
stakeholders, the Project will provide a percentage of its
revenues to the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribes, Barangays Sibulan
and Darong, the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, and the Province
of Davao del Sur.
Over-all,
the communities, the municipality, and the province will receive
an estimated average of P13 million annually for a period
of 12 years, This community share is over and above the government-mandated
annual taxes and have been formalized through their respective
Memorandum of Agreements (MOA). Access roads, local employments,
water system, rural electrification, and scholarship programs
are also included in the MOA. Therefore, the plight of the
indigenous people in the area is taken cared of.
It
is very clear that the natural capital of hydropower generation
business is water. If there is no forest, there is no water.
If there is no water, there is no HEDCOR Sibulan, Inc. By
mere analysis, this Project will safeguard their huge investment
by means of sustaining the bulk of water for the business
to go on a long period of time. At present, if one dares to
climb up to sitio Tudaya, one could witness how man devastated
the area. Only few forest trees dared to stand with time.
With this, HEDCOR Sibulan, Inc. is willing to finance the
Watershed Management Program to be formulated by LGU-Sta.
Cruz. But before this will come into reality, HEDCOR Sibulan,
Inc. has the move to invest huge amount of money to reforest
the area in order to protect the watershed. Therefore, the
question, ‘Will the watershed be not affected?’
already has got the answer.
My
battle to decide to be or not to be has only begun. I must
continually clear myself of the dark side of our own human
nature steadfastly refusing to be influenced by the evils
of the world in which I live. While we should enjoy our progress
along the way with this HEDCOR benefits, there is no destination
in this life and no time at which we can sit down, take off
our armor and rest in a complacent way. We must, in wisdom,
forge new and worthwhile paths without using the crutch of
complacency. My personal and final decision about this Project
to be or not to be, will gain verdict in the final series.
*Brgy.
Kapatagan is a national park and therefore a protected area
by virtue of a national law. But three big banana plantations
which are encroached in forest areas are threatening to destroy
the watershed and the environment with massive use of chemicals
detrimental to the latter.
 |
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