“The dynamism of the private sector is evident in infrastructure projects that have opened up many growth corridors.”
I came across a Guidance Paper for the National Development Summit, first semester of 1997 published in one of the books of speeches of former President Fidel V. Ramos.
The paper listed the “must do” reforms and programs to be the nation we want to be and will become.
While many of the reforms and programs have been done, the reality remains: Nation-building is never-ending.
One of programs on the list relates to energy. This is of particular interest to me not only because energy fuels industries and economic growth, but also because I come from Pangasinan where the Sual Coal Fired Thermal Power Plant is situated.
The power plant at Barangay Pangascasan in Sual, was one of the projects the Ramos Administration had undertaken to address the energy and power crisis that gripped the country in the 1990s. During that time, it was not unusual to experience eight to ten hours of brownouts. This went on for about three years, crippling many industries and damaging the country’s economy.
The power plant was built under a build-operate-transfer (B-O-T) scheme of the government’s public-private partnership initiative. Construction of the power plant began in 1996. The contract term was for 25 years.
The Sual Coal Fired Power Thermal Plant project involved the design, supply, delivery, installation, erection and operation including civil works, testing and commissioning of a 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power station consisting of 2×500 mw generating units.
It started operations in 1999 and has since energized Luzon—from homes, factories, offices,schools to hospitals—spurring the development of areas within its coverage.
The presence of the power plant in the municipality also contributed to increased income and generated more employment to Sual and its residents. The growth was so noticeable that by 2006, Sual was classified as a first-class municipality.
Sual, a town that is 23 kms from Lingayen, the capital of Pangasinan, was founded on May 20, 1803, separating it from the municipality of Labrador.
Last month, the Sual Coal Fired Thermal Power Plant was turned over to the government through the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), and National Power Corp. (Napocor) with the expiration of the cooperation period. At the same time, Sual Power, Inc. (SPI) received the facility from PSALM. SPI, formerly known as San Miguel Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Global Power, is the independent power producer administrator (IPPA) of the Sual facility.
It must be recalled that in September 2009, SPI inked an IPPA agreement with PSALM that enabled the former to serve as the administrator of the Sual Power Plant. The transfer of Sual Power Plant to SPI is pursuant to the IPPA agreement. With the transfer, SPI now assumes full operation control of the plant.
There is no doubt, the SMC subsidiary will continue to ensure the generation of electricity for the Luzon grid. TeaM Energy officer in charge Mitsuhiro Kojima said SPI is well-positioned to manage the plant’s operations going forward.
I have written previously on SMC’s involvement in the energy/power sector through its Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) through San Miguel Global Power. The BESS in Limay Bataan was inaugurated last year. There are 32 facilities nationwide that comprise the SMC BESS network. The network has an aggregate capacity of 1,000 MWh.
The dynamism of the private sector is evident in infrastructure projects that have opened up many growth corridors.
SMC is among the country’s big business entities committed to extend a helping hand to the government for the success of the latter’s programs and projects. Its presence in the various sectors from agriculture, manufacturing, energy, finance, to infrastructure is a testament to this.
SMC Chairman and CEO Don Ramon S. Ang has articulated many times SMC’s commitment to nation-building and helping uplift the lives of more Filipinos. He wants to leave a legacy to future generations of Filipinos: that of a better and progressive Philippines.
This brings to mind former President Fidel V. Ramos who once said that the top goal to be achieved is a higher quality of lives for Filipinos. The goal can be reached, according to the late president, through a sense of U-S-T which translates into unity of purpose, solidarity in values, and teamwork in nation-building. The success of SMC manifests how U-S-T works.
There is no doubt the country can overcome all adversities and achieve its goals through U-S-T with the constructive engagement of citizens and leaders.
(The author is president and executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc. He is also a writer and publisher of coffee-table books.)
