The Department of Energy (DOE) together with local government units, the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other stakeholders are studying the geothermal potentials of Mt. Malindang in Misamis Occidental.
Led by DOE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau (DOE-REMB) in partnership with Philippine Information Agency, the state-run agency highlighted the government’s plan to explore Mt. Milandang to assess its potential as a geothermal power source throough the agency’s Philippine Geothermal Resource Inventory and Assessment program.
“We are here to inform local stakeholders about Mt. Malindang’s potential to be a geothermal resource and for them to know the government’s plan and efforts about this,” said Mylene Capongcol, Director of DoE-REMB.
DOE-REMB is looking forward to signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Misamis Occidental stakeholders for the agency to conduct resource assessment, and assured that everyone will be regularly informed during the assessment.
The province welcomed DOE’s prospect.
“We have high electricity rates and frequent power interruptions here which affects our local economy, but we are also rich in resources. Not only a geothermal plant, we also need hydro-electric power plants in Mt. Milandang to overcome our power needs,” said Teresa Calamba, the Misamis Occidental Provincial Planning and Development officer.
The provincial government intends to write a request letter to DOE concerning the research and assessment on other viable renewable power resources in Mt. Malindang.
The DOE-REMB will return to Misamis Occidental to present the government’s National Renewable Energy program and draft a MOA before the geothermal assessment starts.