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BWSP hearing grills Benguet Corporation

BAGUIO CITY (Sept. 8) — With the impending contract signing of the bulk water supply project (BWSP), Benguet Corporation (BC) went through the proverbial grill during the committee hearing conducted on Sept. 8 here. City council’s Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Traffic Legislation Committee Head Councilor Rocky Thomas Balisong said this is the first time that BC appeared before the city council on the controversial water supply contract with the Baguio Water District (BWD).

BC dispatched a team of technical and legal experts to the public hearing, nevertheless, they seemed to have failed to convince the committee and the public on the issues of water quality and quantity, legalities and requisites, financial capability and issues that affected community folk have been raising against the BC’s bulk water.

Discussions went on lengthily on trivial issues as quantity and potability that only a few minutes was left for other more important concerns such as the economic and political questions.

Will the contract be cancelled if 50,000 CMD is not delivered?

Councilor Pinky Rondez, who was also in the committee hearing, is concerned with the quantity of water during the dry season when there will be no rainwater to collect. She asked BC’s consultant Engr.Danilo Galang if the contract could be cancelled if BC fails to deliver the required 50,000 cubic meters per day (CMD). The BWSP will involve the collection of rainwater from Antamok River, impounding this in a reservoir in Antamok Mines and treating it for impurities and effluents in Itogon before its delivery to a BWD receiving tank in Ambiong, here, some four to seven kilometers uphill from its source.

Galang referred Rondez’s inquiry to Engr. Buboy Sison, BC’s business development officer, who said BWD will not pay and will penalize BC for opportunity loss. Sison was hopeful that the worst situation - cancellation of the bulk water contract - would not happen. He does not think the BWD would cancel the contract after so much expenses BC will have incurred in the preparatory phase.

Heavy metals in your table water

Joma Lim, a contract water expert who did some water testing on BC’s water sources confirmed the presence of traces of lead and manganese in the raw water samples collected at source. One of two samples that registered positive for manganese had an amount above the acceptable level. Cadmium and mercury test resulted in a value not detected by the measuring device the UP NSRI. He said these might be addressed by the water treatment facility BC will put up for the BWSP.

However, PT Quinto, a geologist formerly contracted by BC revealed that other heavy metals and compounds are present, for which the water samples were not tested. He said silver, a by-product of gold, is present and warned that this is cancerous when dissolved in water.

Another BC employee Gary Tabanda , however, debunked Quinto’s statement saying there are geochemical not understood by the common people. He said silver is a compound and cannot be dissolved in water.

EVAT, power increases and foreign exchange affect pricing

General Manager Gerry Verzosa of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) raised the question on pricing, which, he said, would be affected by the increase in power, the expanded value added tax and fluctuating foreign exchange rate.

BC confirmed that the P39.99 per cubic meter price the BWD approved might go up with the electricity rates. BWD, on the other hand, may sell water at P70-80 per cubic meter with BC’s present bid price. Fluctuation in the dollar-peso exchange rates will also affect the pricing through the 25-year proposed contract period due to its loans in foreign currency.

Opposition continues

Itogon residents in the hearing reiterated their opposition to the drawing of water from the municipality for Baguio’s water needs. Aside from raising issues against the BWSP, they pointed out environmental degradation because of BC’s 100 years of plunder of Itogon’s natural resources.

Vergel Aniceto, a resident of Itogon’s barangay Ucab said his town council has not endorsed the project despite the mayor’s open pronouncement that he is not against it.

Maura Almoza, a native of Loacan baragay where the impounding reservoir would be built said her people have had enough of environmental trauma from BC’s mining operations. She said, BC used to promise them that it would rehabilitate the open pit by back filling and would bring back the former contour of the mountain. Almoza said BC did not fulfill any of its promises.

Fernando Mangili, also of Ucab informed the body that a petition signing against the BWSP is on going in Itogon. Likewise, Simplicio Sicuan, from Tuding assailed BC for leaving its environmental mess, referring to the open pit mines, which the BC left unattended for nearly a decade.

Earlier, Mayor Braulio D. Yaranon sent a letter to the BWD Board of Directors questioning the legal requirements that BC failed to comply with. Among these are the expiration before the 25-year period of the Mining Lease Contract and the absence of LGU endorsement.

Water for the people, not to BC

Rev. Fe Ramos, of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines wanted the water to be left for the people to utilize. She raised the question of privatizing the distribution of a resource, which people in the communities used to avail of freely.

Balisong assured several others who wanted to talk during the public hearing that another hearing would be held on September 14 to accommodate all issues surrounding the water supply project.

Among those in the hearing are Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Neoman dela Cruz and former National Economic Development Authority Regional Director Joseph Alabanza. # Lyn V. Ramo for NORDIS

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