First Gas renews commitment to effort vs global warming

MANILA, Philippines – Lopez-controlled First Gas Power Corp. (First Gas) has reaffirmed its commitment to help in the worldwide effort against global warming and climate change by supporting the recently concluded World Environment Day (WED) celebrations organized and hosted by Batangas City.

WED, annual event mandated by the United Nations, aims to drum up public awareness about the need to protect the environment and mitigate problems, like destructive floods and other extreme weather conditions, that accompany global warming.

First Gas, which operates two clean, natural gas-fired power plants in Batangas City supported preparations of Batangas City in hosting the 2009 WED. Ed Aurelio C. Reyes, secretary-general of WED Philippines, commended Batangas City and its mayor Eduardo B. Dimacuha, the concurrent chairman of WED Philippine 2009, for holding so far the most well-organized WED celebration.

As a unit of First Gen Corp. (First Gen), the support of First Gas to the UN-mandated event transcends the weeklong WED celebrations.

First Gen, the primary holding company for the power generation and energy-related businesses of the Lopez Group, is the country’s leading clean and renewable company.

Like other First Gen units, First Gas undertakes environmental activities that require not just token attention but daily care and scientific monitoring. Showcased during the weeklong celebration was the monitoring result on the underwater environment at the jetty of the power station, showing video footages of the thriving marine environment underneath it.

Photos of the forest tree nursery project at the plant site were also made part of the exhibit.

The nursery project is in support of the Green Philippines Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Over 14,000 tree seedlings were donated to various stakeholders to coincide with their respective tree-planting activities during the celebration.

Aside from tree-planting activities, the environmental projects of First Gas include an integrated program to protect and enhance a mangrove area adjacent to its 1,500-megawatt plants.

Mangroves play an important role in protecting the environment, because - aside from serving as a nursery for young fish and crustaceans - they also work like a biological filter for estuarine waters and act as a carbon sink to capture and store carbon dioxide and other pollutants.

From a mere patch of a mangrove in 2001, with only three recorded species, the mangrove area of First Gas has become home to at least 28 species, making it a habitat where fish fingerlings and crabs hatch and thrive to maturity. First Gas regularly releases these fish and crabs to the adjacent rivers to help the marginal fishing community increase its harvest.

First Gas also conducts a regular cleanup of its beach area behind its power plant facilities. With the regular cleanup, the beach has become a rare nesting site for some Olive Ridley turtles. The First Gas compound has also been home to several species of migratory birds, such as the Chinese egrets and intermediate egrets during their annual flight.

The environment activities of First Gas forms part of First Gen’s commitment to remain the country’s leading clean and renewable energy firm. Under that commitment, First Gen has integrated greening activities into its business plans and programs, designed to sustain resources, such as water, that are vital in operating its plants.