Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Fr. Celiz assures MMT will protect public health

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A MEMBER of the multipartite monitoring team (MMT) which is keeping tabs of the coal-fired power plant in LaPaz, Iloilo City assured that they will monitor the succeeding activities of the plant.

Fr. Esperidion “Boy” Celiz of Mandurriao parish said the MMT will be present when Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) and Formosa Heavy Industries Corp. (FHIC) conducts test fire of the plant’s second boiler unit.

Celiz made the assurance in cable TV show Serbisyo Publiko hosted by Councilor Perla Zulueta over Sky Cable channel 13 Sunday.

PEDC will operate the 164-megawatt coal-fired power plant which is constructed by FHIC.

Celiz, who endorsed the power plant, said they want to make sure that the MMT is present and able to act should anything unusual happens in the plant during the test fire.

The MMT is an independent body composed of various sectors and government offices tasked to monitor the power plant’s construction and operations.

Residents of three barangays around the plant complained of foul odor emanating from the plant during the initial test of the first boiler unit.

But no foul odor was noticed during the second test firing conducted October 14.

Celiz said they cannot get any conclusion from the retesting because of the lack of odor from the plant.

“The MMT was there during the testing from October 14-15 and we did not notice any odor. Maybe the cause of the alleged odor during the test, if ever it came from the plant, may have been burned,” Celiz said.

Celiz said they have told PEDC to let the MMT and the public know of the testing of the second boiler as another incident might happen.

The priest said he will not accede to calls of activists not to allow the plant from running until the source of the foul odor has been determined.

“We all know that the city mayor wants this plant running already because of the brownouts. And even the province wants this running also. What we must monitor is the testing of the second boiler because the same procedures would be used. I am here in the MMT because I believe in the project and I want to make sure that we are protected,” Celiz said.

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