National Grid Corp. of the Philippines on Friday criticized a landowner for charging exorbitant land valuation that prevented transmission line clearing operations and maintenance in Mindanao.
National Grid, which operates the country’s transmission network, said in a statement despite months of amicably negotiating with landowner Balao Pundag, who refused NGCP entry into his property, it was successful in its attempt to resolve right-of-way issues.
“We have been coordinating with Mr. Pundag for more than 16 months now to settle the issue so that NGCP may have access to the property and clear the trees posing a threat to our lines. Around 1,500 trees planted along NGCP’s ROW are within his property. These trees continue to threaten ourAgus 2– Kibawe 138kV line,” National Grid said.
It said the valuation of the trees, based on the Local Government of Lanao del Sur’s own schedule of kmarket value, amounted to P77,750. The landowner, however, demandd P478,650 as payment for the trees, six times the National Grid’s valuation.