Batac council feels affronted by NGCP

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

Batac City—Vice mayor Ronald Allan M. Nalupta announced said they felt insulted and “slapped” by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) after they were ignored when the distribution utility built power towers here.

The vice mayor learned that NGCP has already constructed 44 towers in different barangays here even without a resolution coming from the Sangguniang Panlungsod for the construction.

Earlier, the NGCP requested the Batac council for the passage of a resolution that allows them to construct towers for the San Esteban-Laoag 230KV transmission line project.

In line with this, the council invited NGCP representatives to explain the construction and to explain the possible effects of the transmission towers to households near them.

Several NGCP representatives attended a regular session and answered all queries from council members. They also vowed to secure all the necessary requirements before the construction.

In turn, the council members also promised to pass the resolution provided there will be no objection from barangays that would be affected.

The council expressed their support further for the project as it would bring better power services to the province.

The resolution however was deferred multiple times and is currently on its second and final reading as the council members want all queries from the barangays affected settled before its passage.

It is at this point when the council members learned that several towers have already been constructed.

Mr. Nalupta considers this “bad faith” for the NGCP as they went on with the construction without approval from the Batac council.

He stressed that it was NGCP which asked for the resolution and not the council.

“Talaga a bastos dagitoy taga NGCP. Nagawan a manak-nakem da ket insult kadakami iti sibubukel a sanggunian daytoy ta ana payla ngarud iti im-immayan da paylaeng ngem madi da met gayam nga itungpal ken respetaren daytoy”, Mr. Nalupta said.

The vice mayor added that he does not know how they would resolve this issue but he said he will encourage those affected lot owners, especially those who have not settled with NGCP, to file a case in court.

The Ilocos Times learned that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan already approved a resolution allowing NGCP to build towers in the province but the vice mayor questioned why NGCP still went to the extent of asking them for a resolution if they no longer need it.

Meanwhile, Batac councilor Ibarra Crisostomo announced in his individual report during a regular session that NGCP will give two school buildings for the Laoag as their corporate social responsibility counterpart (CSR) for the approval of the same measure there.

The Laoag council approved a similar resolution just recently.

Mr. Nalupta congratulated Laoag for getting the “respect” from NGCP.

Mr. Nalupta added that personally, and for as long as there will be no objections from the barangay folks of the 11 barangays affected, he would no longer ask for a CSR project.

Reacting to this, NGCP regional corporate communications officer Lilibeth Gaydowen said that as per verification with the project in charge of the on-going San Esteban-Laoag 230 KV Transmission Line Project, proper coordination with the LGU and land owners were done before the construction including securing construction and necessary DENR permits.

Ms. Gaydowen emphasized the importance of the said project because it caters to additional generation capacity from the wind farms in Ilocos Norte.

Reacting to the still unapproved resolution, “Actually hindi pa naman tapos ang mga towers. Marami pang gagawin diyan”, Ms. Gaydowen said in a text message.