The Southern Philippines Power Corporation (SPPC), a subsidiary of the Alsons Power Group, recently joined the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in planting bamboo seedlings for the Adopt-an-Estero initiative at the Maribulan Riverside within the vicinity of SPPC’s 55 MW diesel power plant in Alabel, Sarangani Province. Employees of SPPC, and SPPC scholars at the Alegria National High School all participated in this environmental endeavor. According to Alsons Power Corporate Affairs Manager Ruben Tungpalan, the initiative not only protects the river by preventing erosion but the project is also seen as a future livelihood option for SPPC’s host communities. The harvested bamboo poles can be sold by members of the community as construction materials, furniture and charcoal among others. The bamboo planting is slated to be a continuing activity with a 2015 target of at least 2,000 bamboo seedlings dispersed and planted along the Maribulan and Siguil Rivers in Sarangani Province. The Alsons Power Group is Mindanao’s most experienced independent power producer with three diesel power plants in Iligan City, Sarangani Province, and Zamboanga City producing more than 15% of the island’s current power capacity.
