Bohol Provincial Board Member Aldner Damalerio has delivered a privilege speech
expressing his concerns over the impact of solar farms in the province.
Damalerio, who is the chairman of the Committee on Public Utilities, said that there
are ongoing and several more interested companies who intend to establish or
construct solar farms in Bohol, which would generate a total of 295 megawatts (MW)
of power.
However, Damalerio pointed out that Bohol’s electricity consumption is only around
110 MW, based on the load distributed by the local electricity distribution companies.
He questioned where the excess power would go and what are its implications to the
province’s food security, climate, environment, farming communities, water
resources, and flooding.
He cited that one MW of solar power uses one hectare of land, which means that
295 hectares of productive land will be converted to solar farms.
Damalerio said that this will have a huge impact on the province’s food productivity,
as these lands can be used for planting root crops, vegetables, trees, and
grasslands.
The Boholano lawmaker also raised the issue of the Electric Power Industry Reform
Act (EPIRA) of 2001, which does not guarantee that the power generated in Bohol
will be transmitted to the national grid and distributed to every consumer.
He said that he seeks some clarifications as to the direction of the province in terms
of the electric power industry.
Damalerio clarified that he is not against the construction, use or establishment of a
solar farm in Bohol.
He said that having one or two solar farms in Bohol is a patriotic gesture that will
contribute to the national grid through solar technology.
However, he said he believes that there has to be a balance between the benefits
and costs of these solar farm projects.
He urged his fellow legislators to be well updated, well informed, well aware and
cognizant of the impacts of these projects. He then referred his concern to the
Committee of the Whole for further discussion.