By EDWIN IYO
Correspondent
MEMBERS of the provincial board have started looking into allegations of pollution resulting from the operations of a coal-fired power plant in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental.
Vice Gov. Jose Mari Pelaez led a group of provincial board members in conducting a dialogue in the town on Wednesday. With Pelaez were provincial board members Leonard Winstanley, Wayne Militante, Vincent Pelaez, Geraldo Sabal, Nancy Madjos and Jeremy Pelaez.
Sabdullah Abubakar, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau, participated in the dialogue.
The move of Pelaez’s group was a response to an Oct. 30 complaint sent by villagers to Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano who alleged that the power plant owned by the Minergy Power Corp. in Barangay Mandangoa in Balingasag was hurting the environment and posing health risks. The letter was then forwarded by Emano to the provincial board.
“Grabe among nasinati nga kanunay kami makahanggab sa hangin nga naay dala nga ash,” said Villamor Evallaroza Jr., president of the Botoc Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Association.
Some of the villagers claimed there were fish kills near the power plant even as they complained of noise, and foul odor allegedly being emitted by the plant.
Abubakar said an investigation was being conducted, and if the result shows Minergy violated environmental laws, it could be fined by as much as P1 million or closed down.
Abubacar said Minergy should hire divers to check if its underwater pipes were leaking. He said this after villagers alleged that the power plant was discharging hot liquid into the sea.
Jonathan Libago, a villager, said the power plant has at least two underwater pipes each with a diameter of two meters.
Libago said that based on the information he gathered, “Ang usa ka pipe maoy mo intake sa bugnaw nga tubig dagat nga i-feed sa bolier ug ang usa ka pipe maoy mogawas sa init na nga tubig gikan sa boiler ug ibuga balik sa dagat.”
Vice Gov. Pelaez told Abubacar that the divers should be independent.
“Madudahon ako, director, basta madudahon ako,” said Pelaez, pointing out that Minergy should not be allowed to pay for the divers to inspect the pipes.
Meanwhile, Pelaez raised a question on the classification of the property where the Minergy plant is operating. He said the power plant could be operating on an agricultural land.
He tasked provincial board member Militante to find out if the property is classified as agricultural or industrial.
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