Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Mini-hydropower plant to rise at Calbayog’s Bugtong Falls


published September 02, 2009 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY — Clean N Green Energy Solutions, Inc. will invest around P200 million within the next 12 months to build the 1.7-megawatt (MW) Bugtong mini-hydropower plant in Calbayog.

Jose O. Ilagan, president of Clean N Green, said the hydropower project is still at the "predevelopment stage."

"We are now securing various government clearances for the project. Construction [will start in] June 2010."

Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento said the project would be undertaken through the build-operate-transfer scheme. A feasibility study was earlier conducted by the city government and a company called Pilipinas Engine and Turbine Co.

The project site is in Brgy. San Joaquin, which hosts Bugtong Falls, one of the tourist spots in the province.

"They (Clean N Green) validated our feasibility study. Instead of producing 3.8 MW, we have opted to tap only 1.7 MW in order not to deface the beauty of the waterfalls. This model is very acceptable to environmentalists," Mr. Sarmiento said in a brief interview.

The city government is also looking at two other potential hydropower sources, Mr. Sarmiento said. These are the Pan-as Falls and Tarangban Falls. Many investors have expressed interest in developing the two sites into hydropower sources, he added.

"Calbayog City consumes around 8 MW. The advantage is that we’re very near the national grid and we can send the excess power to other areas if there is," Mr. Sarmiento said.

Meanwhile, the Samar I Electric Cooperative will soon start the upgrade of the existing 1.08-MW Ton-ok Mini Hydroelectric Power Plant in Brgy. Barral, at the Oquendo district of Calbayog.

Mr. Sarmiento, who chairs the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council, called on other Samar island officials to "capitalize" on hydropower considering the abundant water resources on the island.

"There are many in the power sector that are putting up investments. The [regional development council] can endorse the proposed projects to the company that could help [build] these projects," he added.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Mussel catch in Samar recovering after cleanup


published September 01, 2009 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY — A group of fishermen here has noted a slight recovery in the production of mussel, locally known as tahong, in Maqueda Bay in Samar.

Gerardo Malinao, chairman of Gugma han Maqueda Bay Igin-un-dong han Organisasyon Samarnon, said production has improved by 35%, so far, this year after a comprehensive cleanup conducted at the bay in the wake of a massive mussel kill last year.

"Since people started raising tahong in 1953, no cleanup has been done until last year. After May 2008, the livelihood of fisherfolk has been affected, considering the 96% loss in production," Mr. Malinao said in an interview.

The traditional use of bamboo poles to attract mussel spats led to increased siltation and prevented adequate water circulation within the area.

A study by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said this caused the mussel kill.

"Poor water circulation also increases deposition of nitrogenous wastes in coastal beds, further aggravating the hypoxic condition. Farmed mussels continuously exposed to hypoxic conditions become stressed, brought about by critically low levels of oxygen, thus affecting their survival and making them susceptible to secondary microbial infections, which may result in mass mortalities," the study said.

Hence, BFAR introduced the raft hanging method to mussel farmers. This was expected to raise production and reduce marine pollution. Under the new method, the bamboo raft serves as breeding place of mussels.

Mr. Malinao said that they were encouraged to apply the technology in the production process after the price of mussels went up to P800 per sack from only P140 last year.

"This is due to increasing demand for tahong in Davao, Cebu, and Bohol. Our goal is to directly sell the products to the market outside Region 8 in order to gain bigger profits," he added.

The group has 4,970 members in Catbalogan, Jiabong, Villareal, Motiong, Tarangnan and Talalora all towns bordering Maqueda Bay.

It can be recalled that between May to June 2008, massive mussel mortality was noted in Jiabong. A month after, 90% of the mussel farms had stopped operation. In November 2008, another mussel kill occurred in the two-hectare techno demo farm established by the government despite the fresh introduction of the raft hanging method. The mussel kill caused P38-million losses for the industry, according to BFAR. The significant decline in harvest affected at least 137 registered farmers in the top mussel producing municipality.

In 2006, the mussel industry in the area reported 10,616 metric tons of catch worth P43.24 million.

Southern Leyte luring more investments for its dive sites


published September 01, 2009 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY — The provincial government of Southern Leyte hopes to lure more tourism investments to service dive sites in Sogod Bay.

"We are inviting more players in the diving industry and we are opening the Pacific area of the province for this activity," said Nedgar Garvez, Southern Leyte tourism provincial officer.

Sogod Bay has four existing dive shops, namely: Peter’s Dive Resort, Sogod Bay Scuba Resort, Southern Leyte Dive Resort, and Coral Cay Conservation Center.

These are located in Padre Burgos, San Francisco, and Macrohon towns.

"Each of the existing dive shops has 200 visitors every month, mostly Europeans. Some existing dive shops are acquiring more properties this year as part of their expansion," Mr. Garvez said.

The dive sites are situated within the 718-square-kilometer Sogod Bay, which is bounded by the towns of Padre Burgos, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Sogod, Pintuyan, San Francisco, Liloan, Limasawa, Libagon, and Macrohon.

Mr. Garvez said Sogod Bay can accommodate six more resorts.

Sogod has 25 popular dive sites, such as the Padre Burgos jetty, Tangkaan Point, Limasawa Island, Malitbog, Liloan, and Panaon Island. Limasawa Island is particularly famous for "incredible diving," with its dark eerie steep walls with gorgonian fans and massive table corals.