Benguet indigenous folk reject geothermal project

By Dexter A. See

BOKOD, Benguet – Indigenous peoples’ organizations in this fifth-class town have rejected the establishment of a geothermal project in one village here because of its alleged serious impact on the environment.

In a resolution, the Kalesey Ni Imaga-ngan Inc. opposed the operation of Clear Rock Energies, Inc. to put up a 283-square kilometer geothermal plant that will also expand to the nearby towns of Atok and Kabayan and parts of Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya.

The group said the proposed geothermal project is not sustainable, adding they could not gamble the future generations of their tribe on technical computations, claiming the new technologies for the operation of the geothermal plant is temporary and merely for profit.

Bokod currently hosts the Ambuclao hydroelectric power plant with the Binga dam located just below it, particularly in the nearby town of Binga, Itogon, Benguet.

The stand of the indigenous peoples’ organizations in the town is in direct contrast to the position of the council of elders which reportedly passed a resolution endorsing the geothermal project.

Because of the controversy created by the conflicting positions of the indigenous peoples’ organizations and their council of elders, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in the Cordillera has been blamed for alleged inefficiency in the conduct of the free and prior informed consent for the geothermal project.

According to the group, landowners were not reportedly consulted regarding the establishment of the geothermal project and were virtually excluded from the FPIC process just to suit the interests of some quarters.

While admitting that they are not against the development that could be derived from the possible operation of the geothermal plant, the group said most of their members stand to eventually lose their properties instead of passing them on to their children as inheritance after they have treasured them over the past half a century.

Barangays Daclan and Tickey are being eyed as potential sites for the geothermal project because of the existence of hot springs in the villages that evolve from an alleged dormant volcano.

Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act mandates companies intending to exploit, utilize and develop the natural resources of a certain place to first secure the free and prior informed consent of affected indigenous peoples and indigenous cultural communities.

The NCIP is tasked to be the lead agency in the conduct of the FPIC process.