NPC Under the Bangsamoro(A New Mandate): Creating a New Multi-Billion Peso Industry for the Lanao Provinces Figures don’t lie: Net Income for: 2010 2011 NPC (P2.783B) (P18,872 M) Maynila Waters P 4B P 6.2B Manila Waters P 3.9B P 4.2B The above figures will show that NPC is losing in its operation-year in and out while the operation of the two major water concessionaires of Manila-Maynilad and Manila Waters are gaining yearly. The Bird with One Wing: If the National Power Corporation were a bird, it is a bird which cannot soar and it cannot fly-since it only has one wing. To make NPC take off it must have two wings- and the other wing must be the wing of water distribution and bulk water exportation. Water distribution refers to delivery of water to the households of Iligan, Lanao, Mindanao and our country. It is on a national level. While bulk water exportation refers to delivery of water outside the country-like China, the Middle East and Singapore. It is on an international level. The losses of one wing can easily be off setted by the gains of the other wing. The Rich Resources of Lake Lanao: Lake Lanao throws no less than 15,000 gallons of fresh water into the Agus River daily. The springs and water falls of Iligan alone throws no less than 3 million gallons of fresh water into the open sea for nothing. At P 1 per gallon Iligan throws no less than P 3 million daily for nothing while billions of people worldwide suffer from lack of drinking water. At P 3 million per day and at 30 days-we are practically throwing P 90 million into the sea for nothing. Converted to a year that is P 1.08Billion annually!! Name me an industry in our country which could give you so much in terms of revenue? In 2010 the nation of India went to Blue Lake, Sitka, Alaska to buy their waters to the tune of $90 million annually. Converted to pesos that is roughly P 3.6 Billion in revenues at an exchange rate of P 40 to a dollar My question is, “why does India have to go that far when Lanao is 3 to 5 times nearer to India and at the same time we have an Indian company right in our midst in Iligan-Global Steel?” Think of the Possibilities: If we have an industry which could generate for us a billion pesos a year think of the possibilities: 1. We can create the Hajj Fund-where we give 10% of the revenues to the City of Marawi and bring our poor Muslim brothers to Mecca on an all expenses paid trip for the pilgrimage 2. We can set aside an amount where we can build homes for the poor all over the Lanao provinces-GK or GagawKalimo 3. We can create a new industry for NPC and generate new and more jobs for the Tri-people of Mindanao specially the Maranaos 4. We can create the First Lanao Takaful Insurance in the country 5. We can let the Middle East countries invest in our waters-since it is their number 1 need 6. We can start a “water for oil” exchange between Lanao and the Middle East 7. We can have a bottling plant for mineral water and softdrinks in Lanao 8. We can put up tourist industries built on water resources like a theme park-Ocean Park, swimming pools etc. 9. We can make Maranao products go international-like okir, malong, the agong, the kulintang, the palapa and the marang 10. We can create the Marang Development Authority funded through these waters-and make marang our international product worldwide 11. We can showcase Maranao culture and make Lanao the number 1 tourist destination in our country 12. We can make the Lanao Provinces earn in dollars With a billion pesos in our hands annually plus the energy revenues we generate from NPC we can practically buy into all the industries in Iligan and become shareholders as a province. The Lanao Provinces can be a big time incorporator in all industries of Iligan. Plus many other possibilities! Lanao must drink big and think big and tubig is the answer. How do we jump start this idea? This idea of adding another wing to NPC can only happen when the Lanao provinces work as one and petition our National government to change the mandate of the NPC-from being a mere power generator to being a power generator plus water distributor-nationally and internationally. I am today writing the President of NPC, Madame Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita on the matter and sharing my researches in it. Hopefully this will open her eyes and create a new division in NPC. New divisions and new industries create new skills and new revenues- and new skills mean more jobs for the Maranaos and the Tri-people of Lanao. But the work must begin with us-if we mean to get a lion’s share out of this idea. The Lanao Provinces must work as one people and come up with a province wide resolution asking the NPC President to create this new industry in NPC. Wealth sharing on a 75-25 basis: Under the old NPC mandate the most the provinces of Lanao can earn from NPC is 1%-which is known as our share of the National Wealth. Under a new mandate where a new wing is created for NPC we have the possibility of earning more and basing everything on the agreed 75-25 wealth sharing of the Bangsamoro. A new mandate means a new beginning and all laws pertaining to the old mandate will either be change or abrogated to favor the new mandate. Actually we are not making two mandates but three since water distribution is separate from bulk water exportation. So we have three mandates for NPC-energy generation, water distribution and bulk water exportation-making NPC 3 in 1 and multiplying its income by 3!! Changes in the Clean Water Act Law of our country: Because of the new mandate for NPC we need to change also major laws in our country like the Clean Water Act Law-where we incorporate NPC into its pages. We must also add a chapter on bulk water exportation and waste water management. All water ways in our country must be cleaned and all obstructing existing structureswhich affect the quality of these waters must be remove or relocated in order to maximize the use of these waters. The Role of the Mindanao Development Authority and the NPC: The waters of Lanao and Mindanao must be manage under a new agency-composed of MINDA, the DENR and NPC-it will be called the Mindanao Lake and Water Resources Authority (MLWRA). NPC Mindanao will be renamed and devolved/separated from NPC Luzon and Visayas and renamed the Mindanao Power and Water Resources Corporation (MPWRC). The Chair in both instances will be the chair of the MINDA-Secretary LuwalhatiAntoninoto be co-chaired by the President of NPC Ms. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita with the Governors of bothLanao provinces sitting as Vice Chairs. DENR will be its technical advisers. MLWRA will be under the Office of the President while MPWRC is a cooperative based GOCC-open to the Tri-people for membership. The Opening up of Agus 3: With the opening up of a new wing, Agus 3 becomes a necessary component in its success since Pantar, Lanao del Sur is needed to make sure that the pristine nature of these waters is maintained. We must have a water team there to do this for us.With this development we open new roads for development and progress for the Lanao provinces.It is now time to make this dream come true. Long live the Lanao provinces!!
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:15:10 +0000
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