EMB vows to block Alson’s ECC for bioethanol plant

By BONG FABE, Contributor

ENEMIES of the proposed P2.1 billion bioethanol plant project set to be constructed within the two hinterland barangays of Cagayan de Oro have reasons to rejoice as the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has promised to block the plant’s application for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).
The EMB said it will not issue an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to Alcantara and Sons Consolidated Resources, Inc.’s (Alsons) P2.1 billion (US$45 million) bioethanol plant project in barangays Bayanga and Mambuaya.
EMB director Julian Amador made the pronouncement following the Ecology Committee’s unanimous decision recommending to the Environment department not to allow Alsons to build its controversial bioethanol plant in the critical watershed areas of this city, said Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Ecology.
“All congressmen who are members of the Ecology Committee have unanimously decided to recommend to the EMB to disallow the construction of a bioethanol plant in Cagayan de Oro City. We have also recommended to the Environment department not to give Alsons an ECC,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, known as CDO’s environmental congressman, said that Amador promised the Ecology Committee that he and his office will abide by the congressmen’s decision and that he will not issue any ECC to Alsons.
Alsons is just waiting for its ECC to begin construction of its bioethanol plant here, despite widespread opposition from various sectors of the city being led by Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma and Rev. Fr. Jose Cabantan, director of the Archdiocesan Social Action Center.
According to Rodriguez, the Ecology Committee also found Alsons’ propose plant “hazardous to the site’s immediate environs.”
“Based on their findings, three weeks ago, the Committee on Ecology recommended that ACR should find another site for their bioethanol plant,” he said.
He also disclosed that the committee had recommended for Alsons to transfer its plant somewhere, like in the Phividec area straddling the towns of Villanueva and Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental.
Aside from this, Alsons is also facing another sheer wall in Congress especially with the passage on third reading of Rodriguez’s bill identifying, delineating and declaring the watershed areas of the city as “protected landscape.”
“All nine rivers in the city from the boundary in Alae, Manolo Fortich up to Iponan are all declared as our watershed area and form part of the city’s protected landscape,” Rodriguez said.
Any industrial plant, buildings, subdivisions and other development projects are prohibited in all protected landscape, except in areas identified as alienable and disposable, he added.
“With this, there really is no point for Alsons to continue in pushing for the construction of its bioethanol plant in our city,” he said.
Alsons is proposing to build its bioethanol plant in a hastily converted 20-hectare area straddling the barangays of Mambuaya and Bayanga.
The city government had earlier identified Mambuaya and Bayanga as part of the city’s watershed area.
These two barangays are also identified as part of the 3,000 hectares reforestation program of the city government under Mayor Constantino Jaraula.
The DENR, according to Rodriguez, had identified a large portion of Bayanga and Mambuaya as alienable and disposable, which may give Alsons a window to push for its bioethanol project.
But the declaration of the city’s watershed areas as protected landscape totally closes all doors to Alsons.
The CDO Watershed bill (HB 6705) will be part of Republic Act 7586, which is scheduled for second and final reading in Congress.
“This week, it will be finalized after a deliberation at the plenary,” he said.