The Alsons Power Group’s Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) Community Watershed Protection and Development Project in Maasim, Sarangani Province received praise from the Regional Head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

The SEC Watershed Protection Project is one of the largest in the country covering an area of 7500 hectares- larger than the City of Manila and nearly twice the size of Makati City. The project is located in the vicinity of SEC’s 210 mega-watt baseload thermal power plant and aims to provide forest cover for the Siguil and Kamanga River watersheds. The watershed protection project, currently managed by the Alcantara Foundation, also provides livelihood to more than 500 families belonging to the Bl’aan and T’boli indigenous communities in the uphill areas of Maasim, Sarangani.

DENR-EMB lauds Alsons Sarangani Energy Corporation Watershed Protection Project
File photo shows a portion of the Sarangani Energy Corporation Watershed Protection Project site in Maasim Sarangani Province.

“You are all amazing! The synergy you have in collectively protecting our environment is something to be proud of and should be emulated in the region and the rest of the country,” exclaimed DENR EMB Regional Director Omar Saikol before the power firm’s executives, its partners and the community when he visited the project site at Datal Basak, Barangay Kablacan Maasim.

Ruben G. Tungpalan, Alsons Power Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Community Relations said, “The Sarangani Energy Watershed Protection Project exemplifies our group’s steadfast commitment to empowering our host communities thru ensuring the preservation and protection of the environment and helping provide livelihood to our partners in the Bláan and T’boli communities.”

The project was recently visited by DENR Environmental Management Bureau Regional Director Omar Saikol (center) who lauded the project. Saikol was accompanied by SEC plant manager Antonio Cabalhug, Jr. (left) and Alsons Power Vice President for Thermal Operations Jose Luis R. Angco (right)

The SEC thermal power plant in Maasim provides power to Sarangani Province, General Santos City and other areas of Mindanao. Alsons Power is Mindanao’s first private sector power generator with a current portfolio of four power facilities serving over eight million people in 14 cities and 11 provinces in the country’s second largest island.