Itogon to deny Baguio’s wasteto- energy plan

July 14, 2019 Headlines

BAGUIO CITY – “Don’t even think about it.” This early, the plan to build Baguio’s waste-to-energy facility backed up by state owned Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) is ditched by Itogon, Benguet.
“Definitely no,” Itogon mayor Victorio Palangdan said on the plan to build a waste-to-energy facility within the still controversial property of Benguet Corporation (BC) in Antamok, Itogon.
BC had previously entered into an agreement with former Mayor Mauricio Domogan to cede some 29.111 hectares of its Antamok property to Baguio City to be used for free for a maximum period of 50 years primarily to establish an integrated solid waste disposal facility that will include a waste-to-energy plan.
PNOC officials earlier visited Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong and former mayor Mauricio Domogan with the news that Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Jr. has approved the grant of P6 million to bankroll the finalization of the ongoing feasibility study for the put up of a waste-to-energy facility within the said BC property for an integrated solid waste disposal facility.
The PNOC has also told Magalong that a waste-to-energy demo unit will be brought to Baguio to pilot test its  operation near the temporary waste transfer station within the 1-hectare Baguio Dairy Farm. Japanese waste-to energy experts will accompany the installation of the demo unit.
The waste-to-energy facility was reportedly seen and preferred by President Rodrigo R. Duterte when he visited Japan two months ago. Mayor Palangdan however reiterated they can only agree to Baguio’s ESL in another area, but definitely not at the former open pit mining site in Antamok.
The official said that a 20-hectare area in Tapak, Ampucao also in Itogon, is an ideal ESL location. “It could even serve all the six towns in the Metro Baguio area (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay),” Palangdan said.
Palangdan also said that the ESL at the former open pit mining site in Antamok faces a tsunami of issues including fears of physical and economic displacement of Itogon villagers.
“People will be displaced because the proposed area is thickly populated,” the town mayor said invoking the 10 member Itogon town council is against it. It has also not authorized Mayor Palangdan to deal with Baguio City, BC and the private contractor to build the garbage facility.
Itogon officials earlier claimed they know nothing about the ESL project in Antamok. Itogon town council deliberations had pointed out “if there is a plan, it should pass the usual process which is the “bottom’s up” approach where town officials are part of the planning and extensive dialogue even at its initial stage or the inception of the project.
Even granting that it is a private property by BC, Itogon officials argue, “social acceptability is still a huge question,” while even challenging Baguio officials to “exchange shoes” with them. “Suppose Itogon buys a garbage dump at a Baguio private property and disregards Baguio officials?”
 
Ace Alegre/ABN