I did not know I had gotten so controversial.
First, let me address the militarized question. Since they moved in across to street from us, I have not seen a single military guy roaming around. I know they are there but have not seen them. I spoke to the battalion commander and we talked about why they chose this spot. He said that our area in maasim is considered to be the rear of his area of responsibility. This means there is no apparent danger in this area. His school of thought is you put your HQ in this area so it is in no danger. This ensures that the supply train and all other administrative functions of the battalion will not be in danger of being cut should some violence erupt at the forward areas.
They do have to put a detachment near the power plant as it only makes sense. This location just makes it easier. If anyone else is willing to invest 500 million dollars or even less, you can be sure that the military will try to protect it. Even our small investment has been given a small police detachment.
I have never guaranteed complete safety for anyone. Only God can do this. I can say however that it is just as safe here as it was six months ago. Nothing has changed. I have a guest right now from Hawaii who takes the public transportation to Gensan at even 830 at night. I maintain that I feel safer walking these streets at 2 am than any major city in the world, maybe excluding the vatican. Last Friday, I drove home at 1030 with my family. Last night at 9 pm. Always unarmed and felt I was in no danger.
Second, I have always told anyone who asks what my position on the power plant is. Anyone who cares to know should just ask me point blank. I do not go around spouting off to anyone who will listen or read. Frankly, I dont see the point in it.
I am in favor big time of the power plant going in next door. All my concerns have been addressed by them. Basically, it boils down to all their emissions will be under not only the Philippine limit but also the World Bank and EU standards. Nox and Sox are within standards. Mercury and all other metals are within standards. CO2 emisions are within standards and even if they do not need to create a carbon sink, they are going to. I do not claim to know more than all the scientists in the world who came up with those standards. They know far more than me and I am not in a position to contradict them. Anyone who does has no proof. So my thinking is if these standards are wrong, then we should change the laws and not stop a law abiding company from helping out the local economy.
The plant will not get any water from the bay or discharge into the bay so thermal pollution is out. Fly ash will be sold to cement plants in Iligan. Electricity prices will go down by 80 centavos. Local taxes are estimated at 40 million a year.
Its not all about the money. I just have seen no proof that it will pollute the environment. There is a plant in the middle of Helsinki and Taipei. I have been to the one in Thailand and the surrounding environment is very clean. All the anti have shown me are pictures of obsolete plants and data from those plants. I feel that this is a debate about what might happen in the future, both sides are just opinions.
There were many old coal plants in the US and Europe. They have done more to damage the ozone than anyone else. They were afforded this stepping stone to develop. Now that Clean Coal technology exists, we will stop a place like Maasim from developing????
As an aside, there is no such thing as clean coal. Clean coal technology is a term coined to power plants whose emissions are within the standards. As the Brazilian president said just a few days ago, and I paraphrase, I do not want any gringo to tell a brazilian that he has to go hungry so he can sit under a tree. In response to deforestation issues.
Next, we are expanding at LemLunay Resort. We are building 10 more rooms, a swimming pool, a lounge and seminar facilities. This decision to expand was made on 4 things. The power plant, elections coming up, a navy base to be built nearby, and the establishment of the MAKIMA industrial triangle, which encompasses our area. These 4 things just made the time to be ripe to expand. The powerplant people are under no obligation to stay at our place and use our facilities. I hope they will as someone has to pay for our expansion and divers just dont cut it.
Again, I am not trying to change anyones mind. I have never posted my opinion because it is mine and changes nothing when shared. But it seems as if I have been called out so I decided to reply. This is also my last post on the subject because no one is going to change my mind, just as I will never change your minds. My time is better spent completing my construction.
No one has any proof that a power plant will destroy the area. All I can do is to make sure they stick to their commitments on emissions. Because of this i have joined the multi sectoral team to monitor their emissions. Its the least I could do. At least I feel that I am helping to police the power plant. I encourage anyone in this area to do the same, if they feel strongly about it. The monitoring team has the authority to halt their operations if they are not complying with their commitments.
There is no such thing as clean coal, but there is clean enough to help our poor area develop.
