By Carina L. Cayon
STA. CRUZ, Davao del Sur, Aug. 1 (PIA) – The local government and the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe here accepted and welcomed today the construction of Hedcor’s new hydropower plant which would provide an additional power supply of 7 mega watts for the province.
In the groundbreaking rites for Tudaya Hydropower 2 Plant at Barangay Astorga, the officials of Sta. Cruz LGU and tribal leaders signified acceptance and support to the third facility of Hedcor in the municipality.
Hedcor Tudaya, Inc. would soon start building the facility which is expected to generate 40.5 gigawatt-hours annually to Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DASURECO) which Hedcor said could power more than 7,000 homes.
Mayor Joel Ray Lopez lauded and thanked the power firm for putting up the facilities in Sta. Cruz, citing the various improvements that Hedcor has already provided for operating the 42.5MW Sibulan Hydropower Plants since 2010 in this town.
Lopez said Hedcor is the biggest local tax payer, adding that the company paid more than P60 million in taxes last year including real property and national taxes.
The mayor also cited road improvements, and jobs, scholarship and livelihood assistance provided for the residents of the host communities, especially for the tribal members.
Rogelio Manapol, Bagobo-Tagabawa tribal chieftain, was also grateful to Hedcor for accelerating developments for the indigenous people citing infrastructure projects such as roads.
Manapol said his tribal members have realized that the hydropower plants would contribute to the developments not only in their communities, but also in the whole country.
Hedcor President Rene Ronquillo said the construction of the new facility would assure sufficient supply of power for the province after the project’s completion by 2014.
He said the project would open more than 400 employment opportunities to locals and will bring more benefits to the host communities through its Corporate Social Responsibility programs.
Tudaya Hydropower 2 Plant will be constructed downstream of the Sibulan Hydro B Plant located at Barangays Astorga and Rizal in Sta. Cruz, harnessing Sibulan River.
The location is only 200 meters away from the Davao-Cotabato highway.
Ronquillo bared that another 7MW power generating plant called the Tudaya Hydropower 1 Plant will also be built later this year.
He added that the plant’s generated carbon neutral electricity is seen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon)
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