Gas deposit found in Alegria – Mayor

CEBU, Philippines - Alegria Mayor Verna Magallon yesterday reported that over two months since the oil exploration started in their town, the Chinese company found gas that could lead to commercial oil.

"The other day, naa pa sila sa 400 meters deep. Ang positive is gas pa g'yud. Ang volume i-determine pa (in the coming days). Ang oil, they want to go deeper pa, sa bedrock. By then, maka-determine na sa amount sa oil deposit," said Magallon in an interview with the media.

China International Petroleum Co. Limited  has been doing oil exploration in Barangay Monteller since late August, expecting to find oil and gas for commercial use.

Magallon said she's "very happy" with the development and hopes that there is really commercial oil in their town, which could spur economic activities not only in Monteller but also in the whole of Alegria.

Meanwhile, Magallon said the complaint raised by Provincial Prosecutor Jane Petralba to Gov. Hilario Davide III on the alleged lack of transparency in the oil exploration was already resolved.

The mayor said she welcomes the governor's order to create a special monitoring committee that will watch over the exploration and report back to him.

As to the issue on the lack of transparency in the deal with the CIMP, Magallon said "ever since, it's transparent" and that "there is nothing to be kept" as the whole thing is reportedly exposed to the public.

Last month, Petralba, a resident of Monteller, came to Davide to report that the public was not properly informed about the ongoing exploration, which, she feared, would result to the destruction of their roads and properties.

Petralba's concern prompted Davide to order for the creation of the monitoring team.

Magallon said that while she herself wants everything black and white, the negotiation is between the Department of Energy, which approves of the exploration, and CIMP.

"DOE is the main department, and it's between them and the Chinese company. Whatever agreement they have, ilaha na. But we could always discuss (the issues) with the DOE," she said.

But the mayor does not believe that there is a problem with what CIMP is doing.

"Ang role sa LGU is to see to it that there will be no harm or hazard ang mahitabo and that the constituents are safe," she added. — (FREEMAN)