By Diego Morra
Makabayan Coalition senatorial aspirant Danilo Ramos has urged the House of Representatives to investigate the P360-billion BuhaWind Project, an offshore wind farm in Bangui Bay that threatens the livelihood of thousands of Ilocano fishermen and the marine ecosystem of Ilocos Norte.
In a statement, Ramos said the massive wind farm project is separate from the onshore wind farm in the province that the Marcos family has touted. Despite the operation of the wind farm, power rates in Ilocos Norte have not been reduced substantially. Residents also noted that as hosts of the onshore wind farm, solar farms and now, the BuhaWind project, they should share from the profits of these renewable energy corporations or be supplied with low-cost power through the electric cooperatives.
“Hindi natin pwedeng ipagpalit ang kabuhayan ng mamamayan para sa tubo ng malalaking negosyo at dayuhang kompanya,” Ramos declared, noting that at least 6,339 registered fisherfolk—in the municipalities of Pasuquin, Burgos, Bangui, and Pagudpud face displacement due to the planned wind farm. The Makabayan Coalition candidate said it is the duty of the Marcos Jr. administration to mitigate the problem, arguing that the Danish investors should be ready to provide the fishermen with jobs since they will be robbing them of their livelihood.
The BuhaWind Project, a 2,000-megawatt (MW) floating windmill initiative by Danish firm Copenhagen Energy and PetroGreen Energy Corp., is set to occupy a wide swath of the Bangui Bay. Based on the plans of Copenhagen Energy, fishermen who have been catching fish and other marine products will be prohibited from engaging in their livelihood for three years while the floating wind farm is being built. This is a strange requirement, Ramos stressed, since the wind farm will not occupy the entire Bangui Bay and motorized boats do not pose any risk to construction crews. The project is supposed to build floating wind turbines. Why are they mulling to ban fishermen within a 50-meter radius around each wind turbine after they have been built?
“Kapag itinuloy ang proyekto, mawawalan ng kabuhayan ang libu-libong pamilya. Hindi lang ito usapin ng energy generation—ito ay malinaw na banta sa kabuhayan at karapatan ng mga mangingisda,” Ramos argued. The issue has already rankled thousands of fishermen, their families and supporters who have staged a fluvial protest, sailing across Bangui Bay, their boats festooned with banners with the following messages — “Tutulan ang Proyektong Makaapekto sa Kabuhayan” and “Hindi namin Papayagan ang Floating Windmill sa Dagat.” Ramos also raised serious concerns about environmental degradation caused by offshore wind projects, citing global studies that link them to underwater noise pollution, destruction of fish habitats and the decline of marine biodiversity. “Matagal nang ginawang sentro ng renewable energy ang Ilocos Norte pero hanggang ngayon mataas pa rin ang singil sa kuryente at madalas ang brownout sa probinsya. Malinaw kung kanino talaga pumapabor ang mga proyektong ito,” he said.
Electricity generated from existing wind and solar farms in the Ilocos is reportedly sold to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) via the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), benefiting large corporations while Ilocano communities remain underserved. Ramos also asked whether the people of Bangui and the other municipalities were consulted about the floating offshore wind project. Power projects must go through the process required for hydroelectric, geothermal and coal-fired power plants, including the submission of environmental impact statement (EIS), the issuance of an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) and of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) by the affected people.
Based on these issues, Ramos, the Makabayan Coalition and the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Pamalakaya urged Congress to launch an immediate and independent investigation into the BuhaWind project to determine its economic, environmental and social impacts. “Hindi tama na bigyang laya ang mga negosyante na pagkakitaan ang ating mga karagatan. Dapat imbestigahan ng Kongreso ang proyektong ito na malinaw na nagpapalayas sa mga mangingisda at sumisira sa likas-yaman,” Pamalakaya leader Ronnel Arambulo asserted. Arambulo is also running under the Makabayan Coalition senatorial slate.
Ramos urged the Ilocos Norte provincial government and Malacanang to provide fisherfolk with genuine support, including the provision of modern fishing tools, livelihood assistance, and coastal protection programs instead of displacing them for the benefit of destructive and profit-driven projects such as reclamation and blacksand quarrying. “Itaas natin ang boses ng mga mangingisda. Ipaglaban natin ang karapatan sa kabuhayan at kalikasan!” KMP, fisherfolk group Pamalakaya and its local allies under Saluadan vowed to resist the project and intensify grassroots opposition in both local and national levels. #
