CARIGARA, Leyte – The local government here is open to geothermal explorations in its upland areas hugging the neighboring mountains of Kananga town and Ormoc City, which are the prime sources of geothermal energy for the Energy Development Corporation (EDC).
Carigara Mayor Eduardo Ong said on Thursday they can look at further economic benefits for the town should a geothermal source be discovered.
This, after he learned that the EDC is interested in conducting geothermal exploration and possibly expand its renewable energy resource to Carigara town.
The mayor was referring to the local government unit’s share of 40 percent from the gross collection derived by the national government from royalties and other taxes, fees, or charges in any co-production, joint venture, or production sharing agreement in the utilization and development of the national wealth within their territorial jurisdiction.
He cited how the neighboring town of Kananga has grown economically with the existence of the EDC Leyte Geothermal Production Field in the area.
“Not only will the local government benefit from such a company, but also the host village itself,” Ong said.
Meanwhile, he added that his readiness to support geothermal explorations stems from the fact that geothermal energy is clean, renewable, and can provide stable power 24 hours a day.
Also, it relies heavily on healthy forests to recharge the geothermal reservoir, thus forests can at the same time be preserved and taken care of.
EDC tapped the vast reservations underneath Leyte’s dead volcanic backyard, developing technology that effectively provides not only clean power, but also pioneered environmental and corporate social responsibility practices that benefit people living around the reservation.
EDC Leyte Geothermal Production Field is considered as the geothermal titan with over 700 megawatts of geothermal power, beating at the heart of its 107,625 hectares geothermal reservation and is the country’s biggest geothermal project and the acclaimed world’s largest wet steam field.
The 30-year old renewable energy project has been providing electricity not only to the residents of Leyte but to the entire Philippines through the national power grid. (Sarwell Meniano/PNA)
