2007 Res. No. 12 - INVITING MS. AMETHYA DE LA LLANA CONDUCT FORMAL BRIEFING ON COAL PLANT PROJECT

EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF OLONGAPO, HELD ON
JANUARY 24, 2007 AT THE CITY HALL.

PRESENT:

Hon. Rolen C. Paulino- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer
Hon. Noel Y. Atienza- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City Councilor
Hon. Cynthia G. Cajudo- - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. John Carlos G. delos Reyes- - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Bella P. Asuncion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Angelina B. Andrada - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Anselmo A. Aquino - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Edwin J. Piano- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Gina G. Perez - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Carlito A. Baloy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - President, Liga ng mga Barangay
Hon. Robine Rose C. Buenafe- - - - - - - - - - SK Federation President

ABSENT:

Hon. Marey Beth D. Marzan- - - - - - - - - - - City Councilor
Hon. Brian Patrick H. Gordon - - - - - - - - - - “ “ (On Leave)


RESOLUTION NO. 12
(Series of 2007)

A RESOLUTION INVITING MS. AMETHYA DE LA LLANA, DEPARTMENT MANAGER OF ECOLOGY, SUBIC BAY METROPOLITAN AUTHORITY (SBMA) AND TEST CONSULTANTS, INC. TO CONDUCT A FORMAL BRIEFING BEFORE THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD REGARDING THE STATUS OF THE PROPOSED 150 MW COAL-FIRED THERMAL POWER PLANT AT BARANGAY AGUSUHIN, SUBIC, ZAMBALES


WHEREAS, there is a proposed Coal-fired Power Plant to be established at the Redondo Peninsula.

WHEREAS, there is reason to believe that the operation of this Coal-fired Power Plant will affect Subic Bay and Olongapo City, as studies show that Coal-fired Plants are sources of mercury pollution detrimental to the health of the community;

WHEREAS, the combustion process of coal releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, causing climatic warming in the earth's atmosphere also, combustion of coal is a source of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, which are harmful to humans and are mostly responsible for acid rain;

WHEREAS, fly ash from Coal Plants is a major air pollutant which may cause adverse environmental effects as well as bottom ash and smoke stacks which may choke terrestrial wildlife and dirty up white sands;


WHEREAS, the heat from the Coal-fired Power Plant is feared to increase the temperature of the waters in the bay which could affect marine communities. Much of the remaining coral reefs in this part of the Bay may be lost;

WHEREAS, there is also the concern that the establishment of the plant will alter the scenic Redondo Peninsula which is a tourist attraction from the Olongapo side of the bay;

WHEREAS, under Sec. 26. of the local Government code, it shall be the duty of every national agency or government-owned or controlled corporation authorizing or involved in the planning and implementation of any project or program that may cause pollution, climatic change, depletion of non-renewable resources, loss of cropland, rangeland, or forest cover, and extinction of animal or plant species to consult with the local government units, nongovernmental organizations, and other sectors concerned and explain the goals and objectives of the project or program, its impact upon the people and the community in terms of environmental or ecological balance, and the measures that will be undertaken to prevent or minimize the adverse effects thereof;

WHEREAS, Olongapo City, together with other municipalities of Zambales and Bataan, is a major stakeholder in the development of Subic Bay and must be accorded its statutory right to mandatory consultations as such project may directly affect the immediate environment;

NOW, THEREFORE, on motion of Councilor John Carlos G. delos Reyes co-sponsored by Councilor Noel Y. Atienza, with the unanimous accord of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present,

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in session assembled to invite, as it is hereby invites Ms. Amethya de la LLana, Department Manager of Ecology, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Test Consultants, Inc. to conduct a formal briefing before the Sangguniang Panlungsod regarding the status of the proposed 150 MW Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant at Barangay Agusuhin, Subic, Zambales.

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, January 24, 2007.


ROLEN C. PAULINO
City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer


NOEL Y. ATIENZA CYNTHIA G. CAJUDO
City Councilor City Councilor


JOHN CARLOS G. DELOS REYES BELLA P. ASUNCION
City Councilor City Councilor


MAREY BETH D. MARZAN ANGELINA B. ANDRADA
City Councilor City Councilor
(Absent)


BRIAN PATRICK H. GORDON ANSELMO A. AQUINO
City Councilor City Councilor
(On Leave)

EDWIN J. PIANO GINA G. PEREZ
City Councilor City Councilor


CARLITO A. BALOY ROBINE ROSE C. BUENAFE
President, Liga ng mga Barangay SK Federation President


ATTEST:

ELFLIDA S. SALMON
Council Secretary


APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE CITY MAYOR ON________ _____________.



JAMES GORDON, JR.
City Mayor
ATTEST:

DELFIN A. JUICO, JR.
Secretary to the City Mayor

Planned coal plant in Subic opposed

A group of businessmen in the Subic Bay Freeport has opposed the construction of a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant on the freeport’s Redondo Peninsula, saying the cheaper electricity was not worth the environmental trade offs.

In a position paper submitted to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority on Friday, the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce (SBFCC) said the plant’s operation would cause irreversible damage to an area it described as having “extremely high biodiversity values and high species endemism.”

This, the group said, would lead to the reduced commercial potential of the Freeport.

The Subic Bay Resorts Association in Subic, Zambales, also joined the protest to protect the town’s beach, the area’s prime attraction.

John Corcoran, SBFCC president, told SBMA officials in the petition’s cover letter that the coal plant would be the “final step in the degradation of Subic Bay, reducing the potential to attract tourists.”

“It will pollute the air, the land and the water, removing the key ingredients in Subic Bay’s prime assets–clean air, clean water and the proximity to nature,” Corcoran said.

SBMA Chair Feliciano Salonga said the P100-million project was a joint venture of the SBMA and the Taiwanese-led Co-Generation. It would initially provide power to the Korean shipbuilder Hanjin and eventually to the entire freeport, he said.

“It would make business more competitive. The high cost of power is one of the problems of industrial locators,” said Salonga in a telephone interview.

Subic Enerzone, the current electricity provider, charges P5 per kilowatt-hour, he said.

Salonga, however, calmed fears of environmental degradation, saying the project would “comply with all rules.”

Corcoran said the “only official beneficiaries would be Hanjin and a handful of Taiwanese investors in the Subic Industrial Park.”

As the proponent assured in its memorandum of understanding that “all emissions will meet the regulations,” the SBFCC reminded SBMA that a pollution study in 1997 showed that Subic Bay, a protected area, has fresh and clean water.

The chamber also expressed skepticism on the capability of local authorities to regulate the project.

The SBFCC recommended the use of gas-fired combined cycle technology that it said was more efficient.

Opposition to coal power plants has been tested in Pangasinan where villagers succeeded in blocking a plan to build a coal plant in one of the village there.

The monitoring of environmental pollution in Subic has been tight following an oil slick that smudged coastlines of Olongapo City recently.

In a recent slick, plastic bags containing oil debris apparently from the Petron oil spill in Guimaras were found floating in the city’s coastline.

The garbage bags, containing what may be used bunker oil, appeared to have been deliberately dumped and were ruptured by waves, according to Olongapo officials.

006 Res No 15 - esmo project proposal - banca boats

EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF OLONGAPO, HELD ON FEBRUARY 01, 2006, AT THE CITY HALL.

PRESENT:

Hon. Rolen C. Paulino- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer
Hon. Noel Y. Atienza- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City Councilor
Hon. Cynthia G. Cajudo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Bella P. Asuncion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Marey Beth D. Marzan- - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Angelina B. Andrada - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Anselmo A. Aquino - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Gina G. Perez - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Napoleon F. Capistrano- - - - - - - - - - - President, Liga ng mga Barangay
Hon. Robine Rose C. Buenafe - - - - - - - - - - SK Federation President

ABSENT:

Hon. Brian Patrick H. Gordon - - - - - - - - - - - City Councilor
Hon. Edwin J. Piano- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “ (Sick Leave)


RESOLUTION NO. 15
(Series of 2006)

A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PROJECT PROPOSAL OUTLINE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION AND MANAGEMENT OFFICE (ESMO)

WHEREAS, the City of Olongapo, dubbed as one of the cleanest and greenest highly urbanized cities in the country, is a model for other Local Government Units;

WHEREAS, as the first city to implement the Integrated Garbage Collection System, the City introduced some innovations in the garbage collection system;

WHEREAS, in 1994 after the successful launching of the Solid Waste Management Program in Olongapo, the City became the recipient of the “Galing Pook Award” which also paved way to the receipt of several regional, national as well as international awards;

WHEREAS, the Environmental Sanitation and Management Office (ESMO), has prepared a Proposal Outline to the Presidential Management Staff Office of Special Projects for the acquisition of two (2) bancas to be used in the clean-up operations and monitoring of rivers and surrounding waters in order to protect the environment from pollutions;

WHEREAS, the acquisition of the bancas will indeed enhance better the delivery of services to the constituents of Olongapo as well as to its neighboring towns;

NOW, THEREFORE, on motion of Councilor Cynthia G. Cajudo, with the unanimous accord of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present;


Con’t. of Resolution No. 15, Series of 2006.

- 2 -

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in session assembled to approve, as it hereby approves the Project Proposal Outline Of The Environmental Sanitation And Management Office (ESMO);

RESOLVED FURTHER, AS IT IS HEREBY FURTHER RESOLVED, that the 1st Indorsement letter of Mr. Dante P. Ramos, City Governmetn Department Head II, ESMO be attached to this Resolution.

Let a copy of this Resolution be furnished the Environmental Sanitation And Management Office (ESMO) for their information and record.

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, February 1, 2006.


ROLEN C. PAULINO
City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer


NOEL Y. ATIENZA CYNTHIA G. CAJUDO
City Councilor City Councilor


BELLA P. ASUNCION MAREY BETH D. MARZAN
City Councilor City Councilor


ANGELINA B. ANDRADA BRIAN PATRICK H. GORDON
City Councilor City Councilor
(Absent)
ANSELMO A. AQUINO EDWIN J. PIANO
City Councilor City Councilor
(Sick Leave)


GINA G. PEREZ NAPOLEON F. CAPISTRANO
City Councilor President, Liga ng mga Barangay


ROBINE ROSE C. BUENAFE
SK Federation President
ATTEST:

ELFLIDA S. SALMON
Council Secretary

APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE CITY MAYOR ON______________________.


JAMES GORDON, JR.
City Mayor
ATTEST:

DELFIN A. JUICO, JR.
Secretary to the City Mayor

2006 Res No 32 - rebuilding of olongapo lighthouse

EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF OLONGAPO, HELD ON MARCH 01, 2006, AT THE CITY HALL.

PRESENT:

Hon. Rolen C. Paulino- - - - - - - - - - - - - - City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer
Hon. Noel Y. Atienza- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -City Councilor
Hon. Cynthia G. Cajudo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Bella P. Asuncion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Marey Beth D. Marzan- - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Angelina B. Andrada - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Brian Patrick H. Gordon - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Anselmo A. Aquino - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Edwin J. Piano- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Gina G. Perez - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Robine Rose C. Buenafe - - - - - - - - - - SK Federation President
Hon. Napoleon F. Capistrano- - - - - - - - - - - President, Liga ng mga Barangay

ABSENT:

None
RESOLUTION NO. 32
(Series of 2006)

A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SUBIC BAY METROPOLITAN AUTHORITY (SBMA) TO REBUILD THE OLONGAPO CITY LIGHTHOUSE (PAROLA) AT BARANGAY KALAKLAN


WHEREAS, the Olongapo Lighthouse (Parola) at Barangay Kalaklan had long stood as a historical landmark and as a silent witness of the City’s developments;

WHEREAS, during the U.S. Naval Base times, the said lighthouse provided light for ships, aircraft carriers and other sea vessels for them to stay their courses and as such mitigated them from the perils of the sea;

WHEREAS, the City endeavors that this permanent structure be rebuilt to restore its historicity and be part of the tourism “come-ons” of both the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as host to the former U.S. Naval Base and the City as well;

WHEREAS, in the spate that the SBMA also pursues earnest developments as home to a bustling seaport, a rebuilt lighthouse at Kalaklan will serve as the best reference point since it existed and is recognized in international navigational maps and nautical charts long before;

WHEREAS, with the steadfast partnership between the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the City had shared in various undertakings, the leadership of Olongapo deems it best to request the SBMA to rebuild the said lighthouse for further eco-tourism endeavors ;

NOW, THEREFORE, with the unanimous accord of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present;
Con’t. of Resolution No. 32, Series of 2006.

- 2 -

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in session assembled, to request, as it hereby requests the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to rebuild the Olongapo City Lighthouse (Parola) at Barangay Kalaklan.

Let copies of this Resolution be furnished Hon. Feliciano Salonga, Chairman and Hon. Armand C. Arreza, Administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, for their information and appropriate action.

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, March 01, 2006.


ROLEN C. PAULINO
City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer


NOEL Y. ATIENZA CYNTHIA G. CAJUDO
City Councilor City Councilor


BELLA P. ASUNCION MAREY BETH D. MARZAN
City Councilor City Councilor


ANGELINA B. ANDRADA BRIAN PATRICK H. GORDON
City Councilor City Councilor

ANSELMO A. AQUINO EDWIN J. PIANO
City Councilor City Councilor


GINA G. PEREZ NAPOLEON F. CAPISTRANO
City Councilor President, Liga ng mga Barangay


ROBINE ROSE C. BUENAFE
SK Federation President
ATTEST:

JOCELYN P. NIÑONUEVO
Temporary Council Secretary

APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE CITY MAYOR ON______________________.


JAMES GORDON, JR.
City Mayor
ATTEST:

DELFIN A. JUICO, JR.
Secretary to the City Mayor

Tree Planting with the scouts and OCNHS students

Lets teach our young to care for the environment, to plant and to nurture

Saving our bay

ENVIRONMENT - Shoreline & River Clean-up December 2004

Volunteer cleaners from Hanjin Shipyard who are mostly graduates of Olongapo Skills Training Center seen here at Kalaklan cleaning the river bank

Councilor Piano coordinates and leads the shoreline clean-up and other parts of the city. In photo above, workers are encourage to give volunteer work to keep the city clean.

SAVING A DYING RIVER

"A journey of a thousand mile begins with a single step," Olongapo City Mayor James J. Gordon Jr. borrowed the famous phrase to emphasize the enormous task of reviving the rivers in the city during the launching last Friday of the an environmental preservation project.

Gordon said city government employees and officials including members of the city council, barangay and community leaders fully support this worthy project

Both the Olongapo City government and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) vowed to continuously implement the project that includes an educational program involving outlying communities and the passage of city ordinances that would impose stiffer penalties to violators.

"Let’s all help to preserve and save mother earth." This was the message SBMA Administrator Alfredo C. Antonio delivered during the launching of an environmental preservation campaign to clean the stinking and polluted rivers separating the Olongapo City and the Freeport zone.

"Kalaklan river is being used as a demarcation line to identify the boundaries separating the Freeport zone and Olongapo City but with this river clean-up project it is now a symbol of cooperation and teamwork aiming at a common cause in environmental preservation," Antonio added.

Antonio said the Kalaklan River clean-up project is just the start of a more vibrant mutual collaboration between the SBMA and Olongapo City particularly in tourism-related projects, investments generation and more importantly, in the creation of more employment opportunities through job fairs.

SBMA labor department manager Severo Pastor, project coordinator, said the project "aims to bring a hero in all of us" through Bayanihan, a famous Filipino tradition that depicts the spirit of cooperation.

"Bayanihan can easily solve problems or crisis that will arise in our society and this river clean-up project would serve as a model in this Filipino concept for the new generation," Pastor explained.

Dubbed "Tulong-tulong Sa Kalinisan ng Ilog Kalaklan", the project is also being supported by various investors inside the Freeport zone, civic organizations and non-government organizations