Yt Framework

The management and board of directors of the Zamboanga City Water District were in Iloilo City last June 14 for an educational tour of the Panay Energy Development Corporation’s coal-fired power plant as environmental concerns on its effects on the city’s watershed have been raised in previous public consultations in this city on the proposed operation of the San Ramon coal-fired power plant.

Water District General Manager Leonardo Vasquez said that the issues and concerns raised by some members of the water system’s board have been fully answered by the plant engineers, particularly the emission of ash fall, carbon dioxide and chemicals.

Vasquez said that fish pens surrounding the power plant and other greeneries have not been affected by the minimal ash fall. Even the manager of the water district in Iloilo city said that the generation of power has not polluted the drinking water, Vasquez added.

“We are satisfied with what we saw and we think that there are stop-gap measures in place to control ash fall and the emission of chemicals into the atmosphere,” Vasquez said.

He said that since the power plant has been in operation, there have been no complaints of pulmonary disorders from the people residing near the power plant.

Barring hitches, the San Ramon power plant will be operational by 2015.

by: BJ