The Catholic Church, which voiced concern along with some local groups on the proposed establishment of Alson’s Consolidated Resources (ACR) bioethanol processing plant in Cagayan De Oro, is set to convene a forum on April 28 in order to get the perspectives of the various stakeholders involved and to be able to be clarified about the issues being raised by each.
The Forum will be held at St. Patrick Cronin Hall, St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral Compound at 1:00 P.M. City Councilor Ian Acenas and head of Committee on Environment and Sabdullah Abubacar, Regional Director of DENR’s Environment Management Bureau will be present along with Business Development Manager Mario Jose C. Baile to represent ACR.
Entitled: “Tell the Public on Bio-ethanol Forum”, the invited stakeholders include the academe, various environment-focused groups, civil society groups and the affected community members of Barangays Bayanga and Mambuaya.
ACR’s bioethanol investment in Cagayan De Oro will cost about P2.1 B and would produce about 100,000 li/day of bioethanol. The proposed 16-hectare bio-ethanol plant is scheduled for commercial operations by early 2011.
Kagayan Watershed Alliance (Kawal) and Gising Barangay Movement (GBM) said that ACR’s plant Industrial waster would endanger the two rivers of Tagpangi River and the Iponan River. Add to this, that the plant location is close to the watershed zone of the city.
Archdiocesan Social Action Center Director Fr. Jose Cabantan will explain why the Catholic Church of Cagayan de Oro opposes the bio-ethanol plant. Primarily concern of the Church is the waste issue and the claims of zero waste disposal being made. Add to that the location of the plant and the purported benefits to the farmers who will plant cassava to supply the feedstock to the plant.
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Category: Bioethanol, Feedstock
