Davao exec dissatisfied with power firm report

By Carmelle Marie Harrow

Saturday, September 3, 2011

DAVAO CITY -- Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of this city on Friday was not satisfied with the AboitizPower Corp.'s explanation on the use of freshwater for the operation of its proposed coal-fired power plant in Binugao, Toril.

"What I would like to know is that with this data, you used experiments right? The figure you showed us are all estimates, I want the one who conducted the experiment to be here personally to explain to me how your consumption of water will affect the entire city in the future," Duterte told Dr. Roberto Soriano, a hydrology expert hired by the power firm.

Soriano, in Friday's joint hearing of the City Council committees on energy, transportation and communications, and housing and (high-end) subdivision, presented the data on hydrology module prepared by Apercu Consultants, Inc. that explains the result of the availability of water in Barangay Binugao, Toril.

Using the hydrological data, Soriano presented the strength flow of the Inawayan river to the estimated surface water. He also showed the data of the rainfall depth from 1985 to 2010, saying that while the depth fluctuates every five years, there is sufficient water flow strength to conclude that there is sufficient water passing through.

"Inawayan has an 80 percent or 158 liter per second dependable streamline flow based on the analysis and modeling done," Soriano said.

He added that there is 13,670 cubic meters of water per day from the stream and groundwater recharge or water seeping in the ground that is estimated to produce 26,000 cubic meter per day.

With AboitizPower Corp.'s proposal of using only 1,500 cubic meter per day, there will still be 12,170 cubic meter of water dependable flow per day from the river, Soriano said.

While groundwater recharge, which is 26,000 cubic meter per day, will be left with 24,500 cubic meter per day if Aboitiz uses only 1,500 cubic meter per day.

Soriano said that using three different water resources – seawater, surface water, and groundwater recharge - is more economical than using just seawater. With exclusive seawater, this has to go through a demineralization process.

Meanwhile, Manuel M. Orig, AboitizPower vice president for Mindanao, said the excess water free flowing from the river and the groundwater recharge will eventually go to the sea, anyway.

Orig said a certain Roxas, who is a hydrologist from University of the Philippines, is in Vietnam at the moment and they still have to contact him to shed some light on the study that he created for Apercu Consultants Incorporated.

Duterte said he wants more scientific evidence to prove that there will still be abundant water supply for the future generation.

"We want to hear from the people who conducted the study because it is not enough to convince us all," Duterte said.

"I must be satisfied morally; I don't want people complaining on whether we have decided correctly here," Duterte said.

The sustainability of water supply is more likely to deteriorate with regard to the issue of climate change.

He said he welcomes other experts' presentation for as long as their statements are backed by proof or scientific evidence.

"I just want you all to know that I was batting for an energy source because energy and water are what people need. I want to make sure of what we are agreeing upon here," Duterte said.

The next joint committee hearing is set early next week, once AboitizPower produces the person behind the hydrology module presented. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on September 03, 2011.