MEMORANDUM OF ANNIHILATION

(Destroying Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park)

Between

 The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental represented

herein by Hon. Isidro Zayco, Governor

 &

 The Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC) represented

herein by Mr. Paul Aquino, President

Whereas, the Philippine National Oil Corporation- Energy Development Corporation which is a private corporation seeks to enter the buffer zone of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park for geothermal exploration and will be clearing the forest area which is home to rich flora and fauna biodiversity;

Whereas, PNOC-EDC was granted access to enter the buffer zone as mandated by RA 9154 or the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park Act of 2001 or otherwise known as the PNOC-EDC Act of 2001.

Whereas, PNOC-EDC used its powerful connections in the government to influence both Executive and Legislative branches and reneged the inclusion of the “buffer zone” in the said law for geothermal exploration;

Whereas, PNOC-EDC manipulated the Park Area Management Board or PAMB on matters of policy and decision making to ensure the entry of its geothermal project;

Whereas, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is supposed to be the government agency to protect our natural resources gave its full support to a private corporation like PNOC-EDC to destroy and unprotect Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park for the sake of geothermal exploration;

Whereas, no less than DENR Secretary Lito Atienza issued a Special Cutting Permit to PNOC-EDC to indiscriminately chop down hundreds of endemic trees wherein some are century old;

Whereas, Department of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes also supported the stand of DENR Secretary Lito Atienza to allow PNOC-EDC to chop down trees and further endorsed the geothermal project of PNOC-EDC to address a deceitful energy crisis scenario and maliciously met with Bishop Vicente Navarra to influence the decision of the Bishop to favor the PNOC-EDC geothermal project to enter the park.

Whereas, the issues on energy crisis in Negros, particularly in Bacolod was played up to convince Negrenses that there is crisis and panic, therefore a need to allow PNOC-EDC to enter the “buffer zone” of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park;

Whereas, the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan was given the sole task to resolve the impasse on the said issue to study the pros and cons of the project but clearly favors the proponents of the project;

Whereas, in the “moro-moro” session of the SP on May 21, 2008, Board Member Mae Javellana, and chair of the Committee of Environment read her committee report which clearly favors PNOC-EDC and not even a single argument of the opposition was mentioned;

Whereas, in the said “moro-moro” session, the SP concurred unanimously to endorse the PNOC-EDC geothermal project wherein all the Board Members gave additional vague conditions that will further refine the destruction of PNOC-EDC inside Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park;

Therefore, with full support of the DENR, DOE, PAMB, Provincial Government and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to allow PNOC-EDC to destroy Mt. Kanlaon, this MEMORANDUM OF ANNIHILATION is hereby made to please PNOC-EDC with the following provisions;

That, the Memorandum of Annihilation allows PNOC-EDC to cut down endemic trees which some are century old for road development and establishment of well pads inside the buffer zone;

That, the Memorandum of Annihilation allows PNOC-EDC to alter significant vegetation and destroy the habitat of several endemic fauna species which some are not yet elevated in the species status;

That, the Memorandum of Annihilation allows the PNOC-EDC to further put our critical watershed area in danger which can affect our agricultural lands and potable water source and further jeopardize the organic agriculture program of the Province;

That, the Memorandum of Annihilation will allow PNOC-EDC to put the future generation in danger by contributing to the rapid loose of forest cover in Negros which is only 5%;

That, the Memorandum of Annihilation will open Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park from any forms of destruction that PNOC-EDC will employ during their operations and will also set a precedence to destroy other critical natural ecosystems in the island like the Northern Negros Natural Park and our marine and coastal reserves and sanctuaries from corporate giants and private individuals;

That, the Memorandum of Annihilation will hold the current leadership of the Provincial Government, DENR, DOE and Sangguniang Panlalawigan liable for whatever irreversible impacts the project will have;

 Signed this 11^th Day of June, Provincial Capitol Building, Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Hon. Isidro Zayco                                       Mr. Paul Aquino

Governor                                                     President

Province of Negros Occidental                       PNOC-EDC