Subic Bay Freeport Zone – Cawag local government officials and other stakeholders on Tuesdays visited the office of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in Pasig City to submit a resolution of support for Redondo Peninsula Energy, Inc. (RP Energy).
RP Energy is the developer of the long-delayed 2×300 Megawatt coal-fired power plant in Barangay Cawag, Subic.
The local government of Barangay Cawag, represented by Councilors Abner Bais, Aida Turing and Marvin Martinez, were welcomed by ERC Commissioner Geronimo Sta. Ana.
“We are very grateful for the time that Commissioner Sta. Ana allotted to have a short conversation with us,” Mr. Bais said.
“We have expressed our support to RP Energy’s project that we have been waiting for a long time,” he added
The planned power plant has been in the works since 2011 and approval of the power supply agreement (PSA) of RP Energy is very crucial for the project to move forward to construction.
The PSA has been pending with the ERC since April 2016.
“We also submitted a resolution for the project of support signed by Barangay Chairman Arthur P. Garcia all the seven councilors of Barangay Cawag,” said Mr. Bais.
In the letter of support, the local government of Barangay Cawag said it has been a longtime partner of RP Energy in social development.
It mentioned that RP Energy’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs including renovation of health center and schools, donations and medical missions have been very beneficial to the residents of Barangay Cawag.
“RP Enegry also provides employment to local residents of Cawag and other nearby barangays in Subic,” according to the letter.
The local government said RP Energy’s success will also redound to the progress of the local community.
During the visit to the ERC, the Barangay Cawag local government was joined by sitio leaders and representatives from the women’s association, fisherfolk and tribal association.
Other stakeholders of RP Energy’s project have likewise expressed their support on the project.
Earlier in August, the Cawag Tribal Association – composed of over 100 members of Aytas from Zambales — also urged the ERC to act on PSA.
Tribal Chieftain Juanito Balosbalos, in his letter to the ERC, emphasized the importance of the project to the community. He added that he even represented the Cawag Tribal Association in the hearing for the PSA in November last year. (Dante M. Salvana)