LGUs, NGOs, residents march against Irosin geothermal exploration

Protesters marched to Irosin, Sorsogon Thursday morning against the proposed Bulusan Geothermal Exploration Project (BGEP), a five-year exploration program in the 350,000-hectare Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP).   Arze Glipo, Intergrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF) executive director, said in a telephone interview with GMA News Online that the protest march concluded with local officials signing a covenant with the people on their commitment to stop the BGEP.   According to a media advisory released Wednesday by the Irosin Coalitin Against Geothermal (ICAG) and IRDF, the project is being proposed by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the service contractor SKI Construction Group.   The project “intends to generate steam energy from the foot of active Mt. Bulusan,” as well as “produce some 40 megawatts of geothermal power from the BVNP,” noted the advisory.   Glipo told GMA News Online the project involves surface exploration, which entails observation and reconnaissance, and subsurface drilling explorations.   “The people don’t like the project because they know that in similar cases in other areas, water was affected, and of course, the forest and environment as well,” she added, saying that aside from being a watershed that supplies water to many households and farmlands, the BVNP is also a natural park and a tourist attraction.   “We’re not against development, but we’re for development that will benefit a lot of people. Geothermal companies will benefit from the project, but what about the people?” Glipo said.   “Madaming under capacity na geothermal plants that they can improve. Why do they have to exploit pristine areas?” she added.   Glipo noted that the Energy Department has not provided the people with enough information on the project. “Yung information campaign nila is limited to the officials… They’re amassing profit, and they’re not even consulting the people. They’re supposed to be accountable to the people,” she said.   According to the IRDF official, they will involve the LGUs and the community in building up the pressure until the Energy Department reviews the BGEP contract. “Our goal is to stop the geothermal exploration.”   As of this posting, GMA News Online was trying to get a statement from Ariel Fronda, OIC of DOE’s Geothermal Energy Management Division. — VS, GMA News