DENR chief defends actions vs class suit on geothermal effort in Negros

MANILA, Philippines — Environment Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. on Saturday said he allowed the Energy Development Corp. to enter the buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park in Negros Island "in the interest of the greater majority." Online news site Visayan Daily Star (www.visayandailystar.com) reported Saturday that Atienza said this as he welcomed the class suit lodged against him, EDC and several others over the issue. "We are standing on firm legal ground in allowing EDC entry into the buffer zone. The class suit will allow us the opportunity to explain our position very accurately," Atienza said. Last Thursday, members of the Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition including children and minors lodged a class suit against him before the Bacolod Regional Trial Court. Included in the suit were the Energy Development Corp. and the Protected Area Management Board of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park. The class suit seeks to stop EDC from entering the buffer zone surrounding MKNP for geothermal exploration. Atienza earlier granted the firm a tree-cutting permit within the buffer zone, which the complainants have asked the court to void. EDC sought entry into the buffer zone to tap more geothermal energy for its northern Negros Geothermal Production Field in Mailum, Bago, to meet a power shortage in Negros Occidental province. But Atienza said it is the responsibility of the environment and energy departments to also provide the people of Negros access to adequate low-priced electricity. He added the DENR's tree-cutting permit for the EDC set strict provisions for the protection of the environment in the buffer zone. "hey were not given license to wantonly destroy the forest," he said. Lawyer Andrea Si, in the class suit, asked the court to declare sections of Republic Act 9154 creating a 169-hectare MKNP buffer zone for development of geothermal energy resources and Presidential Proclamation 1005 that declares a 1,475-hectare area in the MKNP as a geothermal block unconstitutional. The court was also asked to declare a 1995 Environment Compliance Certificate granted EDC for geothermal development invalid. "The plaintiffs and generations yet unborn may be left with an island that is bare, barren, subject to destructive floods and droughts and devoid of the wonderful flora, fauna, and indigenous cultures with which Negros is abundantly blessed," she said. - GMANews.TV