P6-B BIO-MASS POWER PLANT

WILL the small agricultural town of Bani realize its dream of becoming a model “Green City” by 2020?

Possibly not, says Mayor Marcelo Navarro Jr. as he expressed fear that politics would get in the way of the local government’s plans.

The mayor bewailed the Sangguniang Bayan (SB)’s efforts in “blocking” his administration’s projects, including the bio-mass plant and a solar power plant, due to political differences.

“Agkami makagalaw, sinaraan na sanggunian so progreso mi,” said Navarro during the Meet the Press forum of the Pangasinan Press Club in Dagupan City last Tuesday.

Observers trace the political intramural to the fact that Navarro is a member of the Liberal Party while majority of the SB’s councilors are under the Lakas-Kampi CMD and Biskeg na Pangasinan banner.

PLANT FEATURES

A major component of the long-term plan is the construction of a bio-mass power plant that will be capable of generating 8.5 megawatts of energy.

The project is currently undergoing feasibility study and a loan of over P100 million is being secured from Global Tech Services based in Spain.

An initial 190,000 euros (about P11.6 million) has already been provided for the feasibility study.

Several firms such as AsiaBIO Group Foundation and Philippine Bio Sciences Company have also expressed interest in joining the project, Navarro said.

POLITICS

A political controversy surfaced last December when the governor was not invited for a visit of the President to inaugurate a housing project in Bani as protocol would normally require.

Then Navarro, in his speech during the event, also acknowledged former Governor Victor Agbayani, whom Espino defeated in the 2010 election, as “his governor”.

Navarro hinted that the councilors’ contra-stance could not possibly be acting on their own suggesting that someone was orchestrating it but stopped short of naming names.

“No diad sikara lambengat ag da tan nagawaan,” he said.

RECALL

Navarro said a people’s movement is protesting the SB’s decisions and are seeking a recall of the elected councilors.

“Saray totoo la so onggalaw, sikara lay mandesisyon,” he said.

The bio-mass energy plant, which will use mainly sorghum and rice husk as fuel, is expected to generate employment, provide more income to farmers for planting sorghum, and improve post-harvest processing since the plant will have a 500-metric ton rice mill and a palay drying facility.

Ethanol can also be obtained from sorghum as a by-product. (With report from DOS/PIA Pangasinan)

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