[asia-apec 1704] Philippines: San Roque dam to be completed despite Itogon stand

[Kevin Yuk-shing Li]

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/01-15-2001/topstories1.html

Monday, January 15, 2001

SRMP to be completed despite Itogon stand
By Cheryl G. Cruz

The impending override on the veto of Itogon Mayor Cresencio Pacalso on the
Council's earlier resolution withdrawing endorsement and support for the
construction of the San Roque Multipurpose Project (SRMP) will not affect
the completion of the $1.15 billion flagship project.

This was the reaction of Benguet Gov. Raul Molintas to an earlier report
that the Itogon council is poised to approve on third and final reading this
Wednesday the resolution which will override Pacalso's veto.

Molintas also belied allegations that the SRMP is no different from the
government's two dam projects, the Binga and Ambuklao hydroelectric plants,
with which affected residents who were dislocated because of the
construction of the dams have yet to be fully compensated.

"We cannot say (at this point) that families affected by the construction of
the SRMP will not be given their due compensation. (Afterall), negotiations
are still on-going" with regards the matter, he added.

The governor also stressed that the National Power Corporation has already
deposited some P50 million in escrow account, supposedly to be used as
payment for legitimate claims and damages after final negotiations on how
much will be paid the affected residents is completed.

This only shows that the government-owned corporation is sincere in paying
the affected residents and giving due compensation for any legitimate damage
to properties and structures that will be incurred.

He also said that with the recent favorable decision of the Supreme Court on
the constitutionality of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997,
the welfare and rights of the affected residents to land ownership and just
compensation have been ensured.

Earlier, Sun.Star reported that the Itogon Municipal Council is poised to
override Pacalso's veto on an earlier resolution to withdraw support for the
continuous construction of the SRMP due to alleged failure of the concerned
agencies to comply with various conditions on the dam's construction.

These conditions with which the NPC and the DENR allegedly failed to comply
include the payment of compensation to families and of structures adversely
affected in Benguet by the construction of the dam; the issue on upstream
sedimentation problem; and that of the Environmental Impact Assessment or
EIA which should already be answered by the DENR's Environmental Management
Bureau.

A source said "(there is) a strong belief that the national government is
incapable of addressing the various concerns of the people, specially with
what is happening right now."