Wind power in Cebu? They need lots of luck

There was a small news item, buried in page C-2 of the Philippine Star Business Section that was headlined "Cebu Wind Power Plant Starts Oct.".  Hmmmm, wind power in Cebu? I didn't know that there was an area in Cebu that produced winds stable enough to produce wind power? I've seen so many times before the Bangui Wind Farm, the first wind power plant in Ilocos Norte, which is considered the highest winds in the country, yet whenever we ride our motorcycles there, the windmills in Pagudpud hardly ever move because the wind wasn't sufficient to drive the windmills.

Anyway as the story goes, "Amihan Energy Corp. a renewable energy company run by the Rodriquez Family expects to commission the first phase of its 65-megawatt wind power project in Cebu by October this year. In a chance interview with the Star, AEC Chairman Joaquin Rodriquez, Sr. said about 10 MW of wind power farm will be initially available to the grid." This Star report was made by Donnabelle Gatdula and I must say that it took me by surprise because this is a new and green energy happening right in our backyard, yet we've not heard people talk about it.

I checked with the Province of Cebu website and apparently on Jan.17th, AEC got an endorsement from Gov. Hilario P. Davide III for the construction of windmills that purportedly could produce 200 megawatt of renewable energy. As the Star report goes, AEC has already spent US$25 million in this project of US$190 million for its first phase. This same report said that the partners of AEC are Mudajaya Berhad of Malaysia and Dongturbo Electric, Co. Ltd of China. This group also aims to finish this project in  two years and is eyeing a 5 MW garbage-to-power project.

I have done my own studies on wind power and I have come to the realization that it is not cost effective because of the unreliability of the wind, which comes and blows as it wishes. I'm more interested in the garbage-to-power project because we have seen this in Taiwan during our visit to the Formosa Heavy Industries. At this point, all I can say is good luck... and good wind because AEC will need lots of wind power.

*  *  *

Pres. Benigno "PNoy" Aquino III has always been consistent that he doesn't like to call for any charter changes (Cha-cha) because he is satisfied with the present 1987 Constitution named after his mother Pres. Cory Aquino. Yet there are people inside Malacañang that are working feverishly for charter changes, which only fuels rumors that something must be a-brewing on the Cha-cha front. Well a few days ago, I looked into the Facebook account of my dear friend and PhilStar fellow columnist Chit Pedrosa and I was taken aback about what she wrote there. So let me reprint this for you.

"There is a rumor, a false one, I am afraid, that President Aquino is really for constitutional amendment but it is too early to show his cards. The story goes, like it has always gone during the other incumbent presidencies that a sitting president will use constitutional reform to extend their terms. That is how to stop advocates of constitutional reform. This is not only wrong, it is also stupid.

There are two questions here. One, is do we need constitutional reform? If the answer is yes, then thinking Filipinos must close up and gather strength by supporting different organizations that are reviving the issue. Is the extension of the term of the President essential to the reforms? The answer is no!

Indeed what is true is that the suspicion that the incumbent President, i.e. Pres. Aquino may use constitutional reform can be quickly dispensed with by the creation of a National Transformation Council. This is the preferred term rather than a transitional council that is usually created when a new administration or government but with the same system takes over. This is not what is envisioned by the constitutional reform advocates of today.

An entirely new system of government is envisioned without recourse to the old politicians of the Presidential system. A parliamentary with an evolving Federalist government will be formed through a new Constitution. That means the removal of the President, the House and the Senate and I suppose ultimately, also the Supreme Court as all relics of the old system.

So the rumor that Pres. Aquino will use constitutional reform as his stepping-stone to extending his term is non sequitur. What is true is there will be no constitutional reform if Pres. Aquino's type of governance or his successors continues under the old system. So the first step is to organize a National Transformation Council to ensure that true reforms could be enforced."

I fully agree with Chit Pedrosa analysis that a National Transformation Council (NTC) should be formed in order to bring about true political reforms so we could change the rotten system that has prevailed since the 1986 EDSA Revolt that produced the 1987 Constitution that benefited only the political elite to the detriment of the Filipino people as a whole.

*  *  *

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]