Mayor: Biosphere is alive

By Jovi T. De Leon

Thursday, August 11, 2011

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- After about a year and a half in the making, this city's waste to gasification program may see light as Mayor Oscar Rodriguez confirmed that all equipment needed to run the Biosphere facility have been completed.

Rodriguez said during his State of the City Address that he received a call from an official of Bluesteel, proponent of the ballyhooed multimillion waste to energy project, that the needed equipment have arrived in Manila.

The project has been taken much "off the books," after Rodriguez and City Administrator Ferdinand Caylao opined they have been "taken for a ride" by proponents of the project. Capitol has a similar project being undertaken with the McKay Group of Germany.

"I just received a call from our proponents and I was told the equipment needed to run it is Manila. Let's hope for the best we could work this out for the sake of the province," said Rodriguez.

The multi-million Biosphere project, which Rodriguez and City Administrator Ferdinand Caylao earlier dismissed as "just a ride," will now complement Capitol's moves on adverse solid waste management.

Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office chief Art Punsalan said: "If that materializes, then we could get a breath of fresh air on our garbage woes. If San Fernando's Biosphere could churn out 600 tons per day into power and Capitol's McKay program an additional 700 tons, we could very well be addressing our solid waste management problems."

Punsalan added that Capitol's waste-to energy project will start late this year, as soon as required documents are complied with.

Published in the Sun.Star Pampanga newspaper on August 11, 2011.