Philippines: Benquet refuses geothermal exploration
The municipal government of Benguet rejected the proposal of Clean Rock Renewable Energy Resources to conduct exploration activities for a geothermal plant near a hot spring and a dormant volcano in Barangay Daclan.
In news from the Philippines, “The municipal government of [Benguet] rejected the proposal of a renewable energy company to conduct the required exploration activities to support its plan to put up a geothermal plant near a hot spring and a dormant volcano in Barangay Daclan.
This developed as the local officials supported a request made by the Benguet provincial board for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to set aside the free, prior informed consent (FPIC) for the proposed geothermal project to be constructed by the Clean Rock Renewable Energy Resources Corporation.
In thumbing down the proposal, the council pointed out the lack of information and education campaign on the project to merit the support of the council of elders of several cultural villages to be affected by the power plant.”
Source: Manila Bulletin