IndoPhil to build hydropower plant in Limunsudan falls

By Jac Macatimbol

Limunsudan Falls, photo taken from Iligan City website

Iligan City - IndoPhil Asia Equities, Inc. is a corporation aimed to build Euro-Hydropower plant in Limunsudan, Rogongon this city, whose representative appeared before the session at the Sangguniang Panglunsod (SP) of the local government unit (LGU) of Iligan City on July 13, 2016. The said company is a registered developer and operator of run-of-the-river type Hydro Power Plants have projects scattered all over Mindanao, armed with 25 years of collective experience. Euro-Hydro envisions to modernize the rural areas by providing safe, cheap and sustainable source of electricity. The proposed Euro-Hydro projects will surely help address the power shortage of the island-region.

In its four (4) years of operation as a power generation corporation, it has already evaluated nine (9) Detailed Feasibility Studies (DFS) and Detailed Engineering Design (DED) which include 2.4 megawatts (MW) New Bataan Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant (MHEP), 4.0 MW Ruparan Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant, 0.6 MW Marbel Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant, 4.73 MW Sawaga Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant, 17.80 MW Bayug Large Hydro Electric Power Plant, 9.0 MW Lake Sebu Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant, 2.8 MW Alamada Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant, 3.6 MW Titunod Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant and 5.7 MW Polandoc Mini Hydro Electric Power Plant. These HEP’s are set for construction starting this year. “

SP in session headed by Vice Mayor Jemar Vera Cruz, presiding

Accordingly, the communities will benefit from the project; it will open 500 opportunities for the community people. 70% of the employees will come from the community, 10% employees from existing Electric Hydropower plant (EHPP) and 20% will be professionals for the technical operation. The company has already signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Indigenous Peoples and Datu Lantong Abungan, the Tribal chieftain in Limunsudan. Certain percentage of the gross income will be given to the Local government unit (LGU) and Community. The company also promised to provide livelihood programs, scholarship programs and other development activities as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR). They are also willing to provide facilities to improve the Limunsudan falls to boost tourist attraction.

Iligan City Councilor Atty Demy Plando said that the euro-hydropower plant will produce 17-20 megawatts (MW). The Local government of Iligan City have no investment to be poured in, it’s purely coming from the investors. Plando said that there are 3 mini hydropower plants to be constructed in Bayug river complex in Rogongon. The main hydropower plant will be constructed in Bayug proper in Limunsudan falls, the other plants will be constructed in upper Bayug and lower Bayug rivers respectively. Plando said  that the project will also include the development of the tourism industry of Limunsudan falls. He said that all the development projects to be implemented in Rogongon is consistent with Indigenous peoples Rights Act (IPRA) subject to the compliance of the First prior inform consent (FPIC).  Councilor Plando is the Chairman of the Committee on Trade, commerce and industry; Committee on laws; and member of the committee on environment of the SP of iligan City.

At left, Iligan City Counclor Atty. Demy Plando 

The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) on its meeting with the Mindanao Power Monitoring Council (MPMC) in Davao City on February last year allegedly mentioned that there were 230 applications on investments on renewable energy to be processed this year that will potentially generate a total power capacity to at least 2000 MW. According to the Mindanao Power Monitoring Council (MPMC), the Mindanao power requirement is 1400 MW but the total power generating capacity in Mindanao have at least 1900 MW. That’s why MPMC reported that there is at least 400 MW power surplus if all the power generating plants will operate normally. 

Environmentalist Senator Migz Zubiri, during the 57^th Araw ng Lanao del Norte celebration on July 4, 2016 as the invited Guest speaker, said that they constructed 10.5 MW of solar power in Bukidnon but it will generate power only up to 4:00 O’clock in the afternoon. He said that it needs base load to supplement energy for the rest of the night. Zubiri said that the Agus-Pulangui hydropower complex shall be rehabilitated in two options through privatization or the government will put in budget for maintenance to operate in full capacity. The people in Mindanao in few years back opposed the privatization of the Agus-pulangui hrypower plants which have total generating power capacity to at least 600 to 800 MW but its operational efficiency is only way below 50 percent. Senator Zubiri said that Mindanao will need reserve power to at least 1000 MW in preparation for Mindanao development in the next 10 years.

City Councilor Datu Rolando So-ong in red stripe costume

Iligan City was dubbed as the City of waterfalls, the Indophil euro-hydro power company is also willing to work with Iligan City LGU to establish potable water for Limunsudan and other neighboring Barangays. City Councilor Datu Rolando So-ong, the mandatory representative of the Higaonon tribe to the City council, said he is optimistic that the project will really help the communities thinking of the opportunity it will provide not only jobs and affordable electricity but development in general, and will make life easier for the people. So-ong also nominated Councilor Samuel Huertas and the Committee on Environment to author the resolution. Councilor Ryan Ong suggested to conduct a public hearing concerning the impact of the project to the environment. The First and Second public hearing will be conducted in Limunsudan, Rogongon, the third public hearing will be held at SP Session Hall.

The company has not yet been issued with the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Accordingly they applied the ECC on 2014 but DENR was too busy to visit and assess the area. The first Public Hearing for the Euro-Hydro Power Plant was conducted on July 16, 2016. The SP invited the public who are interested to attend the public hearing may come with their own vehicle and bring their own meals. With reports & photo by Jun Enriquez