Bacolod City – Clad in black shirt printed with “PNOC out of Mt. Kanlaon” and a wind-mill and solar panel designs, 15 members of Green Alert Negros stormed the Provincial Capitol to show their continued indignation against the decision of the Provincial Government, DENR, DOE and PAMB to allow the entry of the Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation inside the “buffer zone” of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park.

Green Alert is calling to stop the signing of the “buffer zone” MOA and urging the Provincial Government to tap other available alternative sources of energy like hydro-electric, solar and wind. The group also stressed that there is 1,937MW untapped wind energy in the Province and other potential sources.

“There is nothing to celebrate in this Provincial Environment Week, which ironically banners the theme “Conserve Water: Every Drop Counts”. PNOC-EDC will start cutting about 4000 trees inside Mt. Kanlaon anytime soon, as a solution of the Province to address the energy crisis when in fact there are other available sources of energy”. Green Alert stressed.

“The flooding Typhoon Frank brought about in the province affected thousands of households and destroyed agricultural lands,  a sign that we don’t have enough forest cover left. In Bacolod City alone, about 3,176 families were affected by the flooding.” Green Alert added.

The provinces of Iloilo and Capiz and the cities of Iloilo and Roxas were also declared calamity areas today with most of their towns and villages affected by flooding.

“We already warned the Province of the irreversible impacts of the continued denudation of our forest cover. Now we are starting to experience nature’s wrath and this will become worse in the coming years. How many more lives must be taken by floods for the members of the Provincial Board to get the clue that cutting our already denuded forest areas has serious impacts.” Green Alert added.

Mark Cervantes

Coordinator

Green Alert Negros

09052961281