Friday, May 23, 2008

Livelihood Project in Mauban

Livelihood Project

Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI) and Quezon Power (Philippines) Ltd. Co. (QPL), the owner and operator of the 470-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Mauban, Quezon, formalized their partnership on sustainable development program through the signing of Memorandum of Agreement on February 23, 2004.


The project, known as Quezon People and Organizations Working on Economic Recovery through Technology, Research, Agriculture, Innovations, and Livelihood Showcases (Quezon POWER TRAILS) aims to improve the quality of life of underprivileged members of its neighboring communities through an integrated and area-focused approach in developing the leadership, farming, technical and entrepreneurial skills and attitudes of beneficiaries. Over 90 out-of-school youths, farmers, fishermen, and women from Mauban, Quezon will benefit from the pilot project.

The partnership covers PSFI scholarship programs such as Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL) and Sanayan sa Kakayahang Agrikultura (SAKA) for out-of-school youth, Sanayan sa Kakayahang Pangangalakal (SKP) and Integrated Farming Bio-Systems (IFBS) for farmers, fisherfolks and women, and post-training assistance (i.e. the showcasing/application of learned knowledge and skills in the community).

“We are proud to be partners in business and in Sustainable Development. This is one way of giving back to the community. Our company won’t be prosperous if the community around us is not prosperous,” said Shell companies in the Philippines (SciP) Country Chairman Edgar Chua during the briefing.

“The entrepreneurial training in Shell will be a great addition to our sustainable development programs. We recognize the expertise and skills that Shell Foundation will bring to the community. It is our mutual commitment to help the people to become self-sufficient and contribute to their socio-economic development”, said QPL General Manager Frank Bart Lucarelli.

The Quezon POWER TRAILS project will be jointly initiated by QPL and PSFI. The project will be launched in Mauban, Quezon on March 9, 2004.


contract signing

Signing the agreement were (l-r) Pilipinas Shell Vice President for Corporate Affairs Romy de Guzman, QPL Public Affairs Director and Human Resources Head Reynalita Manuel-Santana, QPL General Manager Frank Bart Lucarelli, SciP Country Chairman and PSFI President Edgar O. Chua, PSFI Executive Director Benito Bernardo, Jr., and PSFI Operations Director Daday de Leon together with (standing, l-r) Pilipinas Shell Commercial Key Account Manager – Power Alex Hernandez, Business Unit Manager Lyndon Lumain, Lubricants Account Manager Kevin Ching, Commercial Sales Manager Rene Sarte, QPL Community Relations Manager Chuckie Rivera, Community Development Officer Edwin Faigmane and PSFI Program Manager Benny Veran.

Toxic Alam in Mauban


Calaca, Batangas- Activist from the Greenpeace Southeast Asia held a press conference August 30 at the ash pond where toxic byproducts of the 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant of the National Power Corporation are deposited. They hope to convey the message "Coal Kills." At least 17 members of the group planted 200 white crosses in the barren ash field of the Napocor plant to dramatize the toxic pollution associated with coal-fired plants. Representatives of the Crusade for Sustainable Environment based in Mauban, Quezon, which opposes the operation of a similar coal-fired power plant in their community, were also present to express their solidarity. Red Constantino of the Greenpeace explained that communities surrounding the coal plant are potential graveyards. According to him, reports conducted by the Philippine Institute for Pure and Applied Chemistry confirmed the presence of "neurotoxin mercury" in ash dumped by Napocor on open fields beside the plant. Mercury is so dangerous that it takes only 1/70th of a teaspoon of it to contaminate a 62-hectare lake. Aside from Calaca plant, the country also operates a 1, 200-megawatt plant in Sual, Pangasinan; a 40-megawatt plant in Mauban, Quezon; a 700-megawatt station in Pagbilao, Quezon; and a 700-megawatt station in Zambales.