ZAMBOANGA CITY—A company based in the Netherlands is set to spend P13.5 billion to put up an ethanol plant in this city, an official said on Tuesday.
Rep. Lilia Nuño of the Second District of Zamboanga City said Dutch firm Van Kessel Inc. will put up the ethanol-processing plant in Barangay Panubigan, 34 kilometers east of city hall.
Nuño said the firm is purchasing a 25-hectare land where it will construct the biggest ethanol in the Philippines.
She said the ethanol from the Panubigan plant will be sold to buyers in Japan and South Korea.
According to the lawmaker, the residents of Panubigan will benefit from the operation of the ethanol plant since the firm will employ more than 200 workers.
She said the residents of barangays Limaong, Tumitus, Buenavista and Curuan will also benefit from the project since the crops needed to produce ethanol will be grown in their areas.
Among the crops needed to process and produce ethanol are nipa, sweet potatoes, cassava, sweet sorghum and coconuts.
Nuño said the company has started to process the needed requirements for the construction of the ethanol-processing plant.
She said that the city government will also benefit in terms of taxes once the plant is in place.
Meanwhile, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) has recommended to the city council the declaration of a state of calamity in this city.
The recommendation was arrived at during an emergency meeting Monday afternoon in view of the escalating damage to agriculture and fishery products brought about by the continuing dry spell.
The CDRRMC has requested the city council to convene in a special session to tackle the recommendation, which she declared urgent.
The city council is set to convene in a special session on Wednesday morning. The declaration of a state of calamity will enable the city government, including other agencies such as the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) to utilize calamity funds for measures to mitigate the effects of the dry spell such as cloud-seeding operations.
As attested by barangay officials of areas affected by the drought, the damage to crops and fishery products continue to swell, as bush fires aggravate the situation.
City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat reported during the CDRRMC emergency meeting that a total of 8,924 hectares planted with rice, corn, assorted vegetables, banana, rubber, cassava and coconut have been affected with an estimated value of P132.54 million as of March 30.
Of the total 25 irrigation dams in this city, Palacat said, nine have dried up, six are in critical condition, while 10 are below the normal water level.
Engr. Arnulfo Alfonso, ZCWD technical services department head, reported the water level at the ZCWD’s diversion dam has reached the critical level of 73.9 meters as of Monday.
The barangay officials from Cabaluay, Bolong, Mangusu, Manicahan, Patalon, Calabasa, Zambowood, Salaan, Mercedes, Pasobolong, Bungiao, Talisayan, Arena Blanco and Lumbangan, among others, have confirmed that agricultural lands in their areas are hard hit by the dry spell or bush fires.
PNA