NIR for Renewable Energy capital
The Negros Island Region or NIR is not limiting itself by being the new renewable energy capital of the Philippines or even the entire Asian continent. The Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce & Industry (NOCCI) President Ed Du confidently said to reports.
“Negros Oriental already has 18 megawatts of solar energy in Bais City but the focus is on geothermal power because of a large deposit in the Southern Negros Geothermal Project in Valencia town,” Ed Du said.
“I strongly believe the proposed expansion of additional 60 megawatts of power in the Palinpinon geothermal plants in Negros Oriental will boost the island’s competitiveness in terms of power supply in the near future so to attract more investments”, he continued.
In a short amount of time, Negros Oriental is becoming the cheapest source of oil with the operation of the Fil Oil depot in the municipality of Amlan, which is 30 kilometers north of Negros Oriental.
Du clarified that it is the policy of the Department of Environment & Natural Resources that when a tree is cut, it should be replaced with several seedlings, which is why the Energy Development Corp. has launched its 10M in 10 programs.
What is 10M in 10?
This program was launched a few months ago in order help the environment have a greener and healthier environment. The 10M in 10 is the involvement of planting of 10 million trees in 10 years as a way of giving back the trees that were cut, which is more than a reasonable ratio. (Read: Greener Negros by 10M in 10)
Ed Du added the cutting of the more than 500 trees as part of the first expansion project of additional 40 megawatts could not be blamed for the typhoon Sendong flooding in Dumaguete and the province because when it hit in 2011, those trees were still standing and were only cut in 2013.
“Many may not agree with the business sector, but that is our stand. For us, the only way to create more jobs is through sustainable, cheap power and fuel to entice investments and create job opportunities, unless the country will be contented with income from the overseas Filipino workers, or for the poor to depend on the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or other forms of dole outs,” Du concluded.
With lots of issues being placed at the hands by both provincial and regional sector and officials, the idea of being the capital for renewable energy is a brilliant idea not only for Negros but as well as Dumaguete.
