BIOMASS PLANT INAUGURATION. BANGA, AKLAN

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the burying of the time capsule and inauguration of the country’s first Biomass Plant located at the boundary of barangays Agbanawan and Venturanza, Banga, Aklan on December 7, 2009.

Witness to the event were Governor Carlito S. Marquez, Congressman Florencio T. Miraflores, Vice Governor Gabrielle C. Quimpo, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Members, Banga LGU officials led by Acting Mayor Melanio Rentillo, ASEA One Power Corporation (AOPC) executives, barangay constituents and the media.

The 12-megawatt renewable biomass plant project is a $30,000,000 (P1.44 billion) investment of ASEA One Power Corporation. According to its president and chief executive officer Paul Rodriguez, the plant will be constructed on an "embedded or distributed system," which means it will be built close to and integrated with sub-stations of Aklan Electric Cooperative (AKELCO) and will prevent total blackout. A lower electric rate is also expected by as much as P1.51 per kilowatthour because of the removal of transmission or wheeling charges. It also has a 12% VAT exempt Status on Power Generation being Renewable Energy resulting to a lower cost of power.

Governor Marquez said the establishment of the ASEA One Power Corporation biomass project, will not only generate a reliable supply of cheap electricity, but will also provide additional income for farmers and suppliers of the farm waste for the power plant.

The power plant will utilize local agricultural residues and wastes such as rice stalks and hulls, rice straws, bagasse or sugarcane fiber leftover, sugarcane wastes, coconut shells and coconut husks.

The project endeavour looks forward for various economical, sociological, and environmental sustainable development benefits. This includes increased income for farmers, generate Green Collar Employment which will benefit 70,000 farm, mill and transport workers, eradicate poverty and increase quality of livelihood, energy security, environmental sustainability and good health maintenance, and contribute to global warming mitigation.

NEW RO-RO ROUTE FROM AKLAN TO BATANGAS

                After the inauguration of the Biomass Plant at Banga, President Arroyo proceeded to Dumaguit, New Washington, Aklan where she is welcomed by Mayor Edgar Peralta for the launching of a new route of the roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) nautical highway from Dumaguit Port in Aklan to Batangas in southern Luzon via Odiongan, Romblon.

The new route, which is under the national government’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway Project (SRNH), will be serviced by the Super Ro-Ro II, a 1,769-gross registered ton vessel of the Asian Marine Shipping Lines that can accommodate 354 passengers and big vehicles. The Super Ro-Ro II will leave Dumaguit port every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at noon bound for Batangas. On the other hand, the trip back from Batangas port is scheduled on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Fare is relatively cheap, costing passengers P600.00 up to Batangas and P450.00 if disembarking at Odiongan, Romblon.

Governor Carlito S. Marquez stated the new route, bridging Aklan and Batangas ports, is ‘one more big step’ in the economic development efforts of the Provincial Government of Aklan.