A wind power project in Quezon province has sparked concerns among locals about its potential impact on the environment and livelihoods in the area.
Online users in the region have expressed worries that the proposed 247-megawatt Banahaw Wind Power Project could damage the wildlife habitat and cultural heritage surrounding Mount Banahaw.
“Hindi lang simpleng bundok para sa amin ang Banahaw. Hindi lang dahil sentimental. Sentro ito ng kabuhayan, kasaysayan, kultura, paniniwala’t pananampalataya ng maraming bayang nakapalibot dito,” writer and university professor Joselito Delos Reyes said on a Facebook post.
“Sana mapakinggan tayo ng mga politikong nagdedesisyon para sa bayan natin. Huwag lang laging tungkol sa pera,” he added.
Some local organizations and online users have echoed the same sentiment, emphasizing that the locals in the area would bear the brunt of the potential risks posed by the project.
“Higit pa rito, mahalaga ring maunawaan na ang mga ganitong malalaking proyekto ay hindi palaging nakatuon sa interes at pangangailan ng karaniwang mga mamamayan,” according to College of Teacher Education Student Council – Southern Luzon State University in a Facebook post.
“Ang mamamayan—magsasaka, guro, estudyante, kabataan—ang nagbabayad ng kapalit sa anyo ng pagkasira ng lupa, kalikasan, at kabuhayan,” it added.
“Iyan ang yaman natin. [A]ng kalikasan, ‘pag sinira ‘yan [kawawa] naman ang tao [dahil] siguradong maraming mamamayan ang mahihirapan at baka maging [dahilan] ng kamatayan kung patuloy na kalbuhin na syang magdudulot ng pagguho ng lupa at pagbaha,” a Facebook user commented on the post of the local council of the university.
Some online users also pointed out that the mountain is considered a protected area under Republic Act 9847, also known as “Mts. Banahaw – San Cristobal Protected Landscape (MBSCPL) Act of 2009.”
The law mandates that the government should ensure the protection of Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal, including the conservation of the surrounding forest and biodiversity.
Other online users cited that quarrying in Mount Banahaw, Sariaya, Quezon has been a “long-standing issue.”
The P34.5 billion wind power project will cover the boundaries of Sariaya and 10 barangays in Tayabas City.
It was proposed by GigaWind4 Inc., a subsidiary of ACEN Corp, the Ayala Group’s energy firm.
A public scooping was also held on August 28 in Tayabas, Quezon, to gather feedback from the local community.
