Group says DENR gives ECCs away like candies

A cause-oriented group tagged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as very irresponsible in issuing Environmental Compliance Certificates, "just like giving away candies," to transnational companies even if the latter have not complied with environmental requirements.

"This shows what DENR really is. It is giving away ECCs to big corporations as if giving away candies. Instead of protecting the environment, it destroys it and the life of the communities," Vince Cinches, coordinator of Cebu Alliance for Renewable Energy, said.

He also accused the environment department as "in cahoots with the big corporations to destroy the environment."

The group made this reaction after DENR Secretary Michael Defensor touted that the department has a big contribution to the growth of the economy because of its fast processing of the ECCs applied for by big corporations.

Through the fast processing and issuance of the ECCs, Defensor said that economic activities have increased benefiting the economy of the country.

The official said that in 2005 alone, the DENR had issued 4,968 ECCs, most of them to power corporations, mining and infrastructure.

"Applying for ECC is a rigorous process but they (environment officials) issue ECCs just that easy. The DENR is like an ECC mill, it issues certificates whether the company has complied with the requirements or not," Cinches stressed.

In Cebu, Cinches cited the joint project of Salcon Power Corporation and Korean Electric Power Corporation in Colon, Naga and Mirant Global Corporation in Toledo City as examples.

He explained that the DENR issued ECCs to these multi-million-peso companies even if there are still lots of environmental concerns that are not answered by the two firms.

"With the announcement of Defensor, it is not surprising that Salcon and Kepco were able to get an ECC that fast," Cinches said. According to him, the department is just looking at the monetary equivalent, but is not facilitating the right procedure in issuing ECCs to applicants. - Wenna A. Berondo