NGCP launches 90-hectare reforestation project in Samar island

Press Release
March 5, 2015

TACLOBAN CITY – Power grid operator and transmission service provider NGCP is tapping Basey, Samar and Giporlos, Eastern Samar as prime sites for its reforestation projects. NGCP is undertaking the projects in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and farmer associations.

At the February 11 project launching, NGCP formalized its commitment to plant more than 149,000 fruit-bearing and indigenous tree seedlings as part of its Sta. Rita-Quinapondan transmission line project. The 69-kiloVolt (kV) lines will span 95.53 kilometers and pass through the municipalities of Sta. Rita, Basey, and Marabut in Western Samar and Lawaan, Balangiga, Giporlos, and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar.

“NGCP takes into consideration the environmental impact of all its projects. For every naturally growing tree cut, 100 seedlings will be planted. And for every planted tree, 50 seedlings will replace them. We also included the replacements for trees felled by Typhoon Yolanda. With the guidance of CENRO and the commitment of the Farmers’ Associations in Basey and Giporlos, NGCP is confident that we will complete this project over the course of three years,” NGCP’s Engineering Project Management Department Head Mr. Randy A. Galang said.

The 80-hectare Basey reforestation site will be jointly developed by NGCP and the San Antonio, Tinaogan, Cambayan Farmers Association while the 10-hectare Giporlos site will be maintained by NGCP and Samar Sur Upland Farmers Association. DENR-CENRO will be tasked to handle surveying, mapping, training, and supervision of the entire project.

The Sta. Rita-Quinapondan transmission line project aims to accommodate growth in power supply and demand, ensure voltage quality, improve reliability of power transmission services to SAMELCO and ESAMELCO franchise areas, and extend power delivery services to unelectrified areas in the region.

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and related assets. The consortium holds the 25-year concession contract to operate the country's power transmission network and is comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp., led by Henry Sy, Jr., Calaca High Power Corporation, led by Robert Coyiuto, Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) as technical partner.