Coal sites in three provinces to be auctioned next Sept.

Coal exploration contract areas in Cebu, Surigao del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte are being frontloaded for investor bidding in September at the earliest, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). DOE Secretary Jose Rene Almendras on Tuesday said the coal contracts will be offered ahead of the other components of the 4th Philippine Energy Contracting Round in which government expects to attract $7.5 billion in investments. "We'll be pushing through with coal. We want to make it a good offering, we have a few areas that are clear from opposition. We're gunning for an offering round for coal before the end of the year," Almendras said. Almendras wants to present more coal contracts but some could not “proceed with development because of issues within their areas." Some of the opposition comes from Catholic church officials. In 2009, the DOE raised P580 from more than 10 coal contracts that were awarded. MS-SK Coal Corp., 3 Kings Sunrise Mining Corp., Lebach Mining Corp., and ASK Mining & Exploration Corp. were among the winning bidders. Oriental Energy & Power Generation Corp., Titan Exploration & Development Corp. and Eoil and Gas Co. Inc. were also awarded coal contracts. Among the biggest consumers of coal in the country are power plants and cement production facilities. — ELR/VS, GMA News