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BY TIFFANY ANNE TAN
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BACOLOD City –Negros Occidental Provincial Board member Alain Gatuslao hesitated in signing a statement against geothermal exploration in Mt. Mandalagan drafted by the Office of the Governor.
Gatuslao described the statement “very legal.”
He stressed that any opposition to the Energy Development Corp.’s proposal should be based on local policies.
“The statement was very legal,” Gatuslao said. “We [respond based on] policies in Negros Occidental — that we are pro-environment, that we are for clean and renewable energy.”
The Office of the Governor sent the statement to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan last week for signing.
Local government officials cannot make a stand based on law, which can be changed any time, stressed Gatuslao.
“The law can be changed anytime,” stressed the chair of the committee on laws and ordinances. “If we base our arguments on the law, and then next day pagbugtaw ta naglain na ang laye,wala na ta may mahimo.”
Gatuslao said Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson also requested him to draft a response but will refer it to Board member Rommel Debulgado, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources.
“The provincial government should come up with a fair policy [stating] nga amo ni ang gusto namon, which is no exploration, we are pro-environment, and if you want to come in, renewable energy aton gusto,” he said.
Lacson previously said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will not allow the EDC to explore and establish another geothermal power plant in Mt. Mandalagan, which is part of the Northern Negros Natural Park, a protected area.
The EDC’s proposal is pending with the Protected Area Management Board./PN
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