‘Internal conflict’ threatens project
An aerial shot of LUDO Corp. in Barangay Sawang Calero, where the coal plant project is said to be built, is located within a major population center.
CDN File Photo
An internal conflict among officials of the private proponent of a 300-megawatt coal plant in Barangay Sawang Calero, Cebu City threatens to derail the project.
And news of the conflict within Ludo Power Corp. (LPC) prompted some Cebu City officials to remind them to first resolve their problem.
“On the City Council’s part, we can’t do anything about that. It’s in between their corporation. They can answer that,” said Councilor Dave Tumulak, who supported the council’s endorsement of the coal plant project.
Stockholders of the Ludo and Luym Corp. (LLC) wrote a letter to the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) 7 asking them to deny the application for a permit by LPC for their coal plant project.
Kelly Luym, the president of LLC, Paterno Luym Jr., and the Ludo and Luym Foundation Inc., said they did not authorize the use of their lot in Barangay Sawang Calero for the coal plant project.
They also said in their letter that having a “shelved power plant” in Barangay Sawang Calero will “certainly expose the residents surrounding the plant to toxic and hazardous materials given the nature of its operations.”
Councilor Tumulak said he still believes the LPC’s assurance that their project will employ “clean coal technology.”
He said he would support any proposal to have a power plant in order to create competition among other power suppliers and eventually bring down its cost.
“Regardless if it is in Sawang Calero or anywhere, I’m amenable on the power plant as long as it won’t affect the environment. This will use clean coal. In Paris, I learned that there are two types of coal, raw coal and clean coal,” Tumulak said.
He said though that it is up to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to decide on it.
Last February, the City Council endorsed LPC’s project proposal to the DENR and other concerned national agencies as a prerequisite in getting operational and environmental requirements for the project.
Councilor Jose Daluz III, who authored the resolution for the endorsement, also said he would support measures that would lead to having additional power supply for Cebu City.
“However, in the same way, there are environmental concerns. My support is for additional source of power in Cebu City, subject to environmental laws,” Daluz said.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, is still against the LPC’s power plant proposal.
“I already said that I’m not in favor of it. I know they will understand,” he said./With Xavier University Intern Michelle Jessa Fae M. Miranda
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