Tuba hydroelectric plant FPIC

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Roger Sinot

ASIN HOT SPRINGS,  Tuba, Benguet  - From the time the Tadiangan Nangalisan Hydro Ancestral Land Association (TNHALA) was created on November of 2005, the  group has been insistent on the Department of Energy-Energy Regulatory Commission (DOE-ERC) ruling pursuant to Implementing Rules and Regulations(IRR) of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), also known as Republic Act 9136 of 2001.

The group of about 50 members made it known in previous press interviews that a "Certificate of Compliance" (COC) from ERC should first be acquired by any proponent investor, or any person or corporation who likes to engage in energy projects, may it be a government or private entity.

 The IRR states that "No person or entity may engage in generation of electricity unless such person or entity has received a COC from ERC to operate facilities used in generation of electricity." At first, the proponent should obtain a Certificate of Precondition from the NCIP, which requires a Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) from the ICCs/IPs of the area where the proposed project is located.

 The Goldlink Global Energy Corporation had its First Consultative Community Assembly relative to the FPIC to be given by the Indigenous Cultural Community within the Ancestral Domain of Tuba last January 19, 2015. The second will be on February 2, 2015. 

 This corporation filed an application in the municipal council last week for water rights over 13 rivers along their proposed project, according to my source. The same said that the city government are in protest against this move. Again we, TNHALA would say that under the ancestral domain of Tuba, the ICCs/IPs have the mandate and prior right to decide on the fate of their environment, which includes the rivers (Bodies of water) in particular.

A certain corporation, Caltimex favored by the city government also wants to take over and resume operations over the old city-owned facilities but just as we have said, they have to undergo through a process too.

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We, Asin folks condemn the killing of our brother Cordillerans who were among the Philippine National Police elite Special Action Force who were brutally killed in Maguindanao Province last Sunday! Condolences to the bereaved families.