By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BOKOD, Benguet — While the developers of the Ambuclao dam extend their hand in partnership with the affected communities, the folk and local officials urged the developers to address the issues which are traceable – and remained un-addressed up to the present – to the Ambuclao construction in the early 1950s.

The challenge was raised Thursday when the developers, the SN Aboitiz Power Group inaugurated the newly rehabilitated Ambuclao Hydro Electric Power Plant which was upgraded from 75 MW to produce 105 – megawatts (MW) for the Luzon grid.

While welcoming the SN Aboitiz as a partner in the next 25 to 50 years, Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan pointed out that a lot of promises will do no good, if there is no sincerity from the one who makes the promises.

The company must invest also on the people of Ambuclao as the host community, he said in his speech at the inauguration program. He clarified, however, that the entry of SNAP is in relation with the hydro-power plant, as the rivers, mountains, and everything, the resources, are still owned by the local indigenous people.

Cosalan traced the history of the Ambuclao dam which displaced many families, and led to the siltation of the river area, and submerged vast rice fields and agricultural lands of Ibalois along the Agno river where the Ambuclao dam was constructed.

Cosalan said that these issues were also the basis of the Ibalois along the Agno to mount a vehement opposition to the San Roque Multi-Purpose dam, which he claimed that such (opposition) was a success at raising their issues to the national government.

In an interview before the program, Bokod Mayor Mauricio Macay pointed out that there were issues unaddressed since the Ambuclao dam was constructed.

He enumerated the issues as the uncompensated properties submerged and covered by the dam, the non-relocation of those displaced, and compliance to provisions on employment of locals in the powerplant.

The same sentiments were shared by original residents displaced by the dam who had many stories the sad experiences and the cry for justice.

An 80 year old woman, revealed in an interview, that they were forced to leave, in 1950s, the area where the dam sits with only what they can salvaged and carry from their homes to establish new residences upstream of the Agno River in Bokod.

She narrated that their rice fields during that period were bountiful of indigenous rice like kintoman and datakan and other agricultural products, which was enough to sustain their families.

“After many years of lobbying, we only received P 75,000 for seven declarations. The others received nothing as they were not able to declare their lands,” she lamented. Aside from the issues raised by their local leaders, the company should prioritize for employment the locals affected by the dam.

The Ambuclao dam project was conceived during the time of Pres. Manuel Roxas in 1948, it was constructed during the time of Pres. Elpidio Quirino, and was inaugurated by Pres. Ramon Magsaysay in 1957.

The displacement of the Ibalois, particularly those directly affected in Barangays Ambuclao and Tikey, claimed their experience is and act of historical injustice.

The dam was operated until it shut down due to technical problems and heavy siltation in the reservoir brought about by July 1990 earthquake, SN Aboitez said.

A joint venture between SN Power of Norway, a renewable energy company investing in emerging markets and Aboitiz Power, a major producer of Clean energy in the Philippines, invested at least $ 325 million to rehabilitate Ambuclao dam which became operational in June this year. SNAP also owns Binga dam along the Agno which was upgraded to 120 MW and Magat dam with 360 MW.

Erik Knive, SN Power EVP for Southeast Asia, said that their investment for Ambuclao would be transparent. He said that they are open, will listen and they want better future in partnership with the community; they will deliver their oral promises which would help build a long term relationship. And the company wants to prove their sincerity with the partnership.

Emmanuel V. Rubio, SNAP-Benguet President and CEO, said they understand the locals ill feelings from 50 years ago. “When the project was awarded to us, there was resistance from the community,” he said. But it did not disappoint them as they have the long term view and vision to work together with them (locals).

But as another Ambuclao born woman elder says, partnership must be based on the correction of the historical injustices that they experienced. “Kasapulan a sungbatan na dayta ti SNAP (SNAP must address these issues), she said. # nordis.net