MOA with EDC not a license
to destroy Kanlaon – Zayco

By RANIE S. AZUE

BACOLOD City – The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) of the provincial government and the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) is not a license for the energy company to destroy the biodiversity of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, stressed Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco.

It is a measure to protect the park, said Zayco who signed the MOA last Thursday with Vice Gov. Emilio Yulo III and some members of the Provincial Board.

The MOA puts restrictions and regulates the geothermal exploration of the EDC inside the buffer zone of the park, revealed Zayco.

It specifically limits EDC’s activities inside the 12.5-hectare proposed work site, he said.

Under the law, Zayco said EDC can proceed with its project inside the 169-hectare buffer zone even without any concurrence from the provincial government but the company showed great respect to the province by seeking first its permission.

The provincial government created an oversight monitoring and compliance committee that will check the activities of EDC inside the buffer zone. It has the authority to stop and withdraw support from the geothermal development activities of the firm once the company fails to comply with the conditions set in the MOA.

Last Friday, the Save Mt. Kanlaon Coalition expressed its disappointment over the signing of the MOA./PN