CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte—Town residents on Thursday consented to the cutting of 600 trees to give way to a $40-million (P1.7 billion) solar power plant here, despite a crusade that was mounted to spare them.
At a public hearing here, the residents indicated they would not object to a 60-hectare solar power farm that would rise on a 150-kilometer stretch of sand dunes and a 25-year-old forest park in the villages of Paguludan-Salindeg and Bimmanga.
Mayor Gladys Go Cue said “there are no outstanding complaints nor anticipated issues raised against the cutting of trees affected by the proposed solar energy project.”
Soleq Philippines Inc., which assumed control of Mirae Asia, the first proponent of the solar farm in 2012, had committed P25 million for a reforestation project to replace the agoho, ipil-ipil and camachile trees standing in the way of the project.
Soleq and the residents agreed to replace each tree that would be cut with 300 seedlings. Soleq said it would try to earth-ball some of the displaced trees. Each earth-balled tree will be replaced with at least 100 seedlings.
As indicated in the agreement, the Currimao government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will make sure that all replacement trees will be grown in public places and timberland. The tree seedlings will be supplied by the Ilocos Norte government.
The solar project would have required the cutting of 1,281 trees, drawing the ire of Ilocos Norte officials and environmental groups.
Soleq also promised to allocate P30 million for a brand new fire truck, scholarship grants, the refurbishment of school buildings and the maintenance of main roads, Cue said.
The construction of the 20-megawatt solar power plant is expected to begin in June. Soleq intends to begin its commercial operation by January 2016 to power up about 8,000 households.
In March, Fr. Robert Reyes, who formed a national organization that fights government projects which would displace trees, had visited Laoag City to ask the government to spare the trees at the solar power farm. Reyes also raised the matter with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.
In November last year, the DENR granted the project a tree-cutting permit with conditions that require the plant contractor to replace the felled trees. Leilanie Adriano, Inquirer Northern Luzon