Hedcor’s Irisan 3 secures support of indigenous peoples’ group

The Aboitiz group’s hydro power subsidiary Hedcor Inc. has secured the “renewed” support of an indigenous peoples organization in Tuba, Benguet, for the company’s 1.3-megawatt Irisan 3 facility.

Aboitiz Power Corp., the parent firm of Hedcor, said in an en banc meeting held on Feb. 24, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) had approved their memorandum of agreement with the Tuba Ancestral Domain Indigenous People Organization (Tadipo) of Barangay Tadiangan. The MOA outlines the terms and conditions of the cooperation of Hedcor and Tadipo in granting the “free prior informed consent” (FPIC) for the 30-year-old Irisan 3.

The agreement includes, among other provisions, that the IP community will get a royalty share from Hedcor’s hydro facility as well as the implementation of community projects for Tadipo. Tadipo’s partnership with Hedcor also paved the way for the construction of an office, along with other programs centered around education, health, livelihood and enterprise development, and environment conservation, among others. Also, AboitizPower said the NCIP’s regional office in the Cordillera Administrative Region had taken back the show cause order issued to Hedcor last year for its 2.4-MW Sal-angan hydro power plant.

The withdrawal of the order was made upon verification that Hedcor was fully compliant with the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act. “As we enter Irisan 3 Hydro’s 30th year of operation, Hedcor’s continued partnership with Tadipo and the NCIP will allow us to continue upholding and protecting (indigenous peoples’) culture and rights,” Hedcor assistant vice president Rey Rafael said in a statement.

“This is a fulfillment of our promise of advancing business and communities in the years to come,” Rafael said. INQ