People to decide on coal plant: Mayor

Sunstar Davao

CAUGHT between what she wants her child to enjoy and her role as Davao City mayor, Sara Duterte would just let the people decide on whether they would welcome the proposed 200-megawatt coal-fired plant under Aboitiz Power Corporation.

"If the greater majority of the city would be for it, I will not say no," Duterte said in an interview at Almendras Gym on Friday.

But she insists she remains lukewarm about the idea.

"Na-torn ko as a public servant and as a mother (I am torn between being a public servant and a mother)," she said.

The mayor said she is aware that having an energy plant this big would mean the city's energy consumers would enjoy a lower power rate.

However, she said a coal plant would have a drawback on the environment to which the future generation would feel the effects of.

"The location of the power plant would translate how big our electric bills are. Kung layo ang power plant, mas dako ang atong bayran. Kung duol, gamay ang increase sa electric bills (If the power plant is far from us, it would cost more in the transmission thus would result in higher electricity bills. If the power plant is near, it would mean lower electricity bills for us)," she said.

But Duterte said that as a mother, she is worried about the environment she will be leaving to her daughter.

"Ang akoang anak (my daughter) is only two years old. She would live here for the next 70 years," she said.

The Aboitiz Power intends to start construction by mid-2011 and Duterte is feeling the pressure of having to lead the city, thus she would rather go where the majority says is most appropriate.

"I would not say no if the greater majority of the city would be for it," she said.

Asked whether she expects more investments to pour in with the power plant, she said this does not necessarily follow.

"If we have power plant that big in Mindanao, then it would be an advantage for Mindanao. This would partially solve our electricity problem but would increase the bills... for us, it might not have the same rate of increase since we are nearer," she said in vernacular.

Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte already expressed his support on the coal plant construction following a presentation made by Erramon Aboitiz, CEO and president of Aboitiz & Co., and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. before City Council members on Tuesday.

"Ako, I am in favor. I am endorsing it," he said at Pnoy Restaurant in Bajada.

He also said that he is willing to work with the mayor "in serving to public interest."

"It is not an issue what is good to the mayor and what is acceptable to the vice mayor... There is no family business. What we're only talking about here is what is good for the greatest number of people...," he said Wednesday. (JCZ)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on October 09, 2010.