By Tracy Cabrera
Residents of Barangay Dacanlao in Calaca City, Batangas went to the office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Batangas City to report the possible health risks posed by the hauling of truckloads of ash collected from the coal furnace of the National Power Corporation (NaPoCor) that are disposed into an unknown destination or dumpsite.
However, it was unfortunate that nobody took notice and officials of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO Batangas) under Noel Recillo did not even lift a finger to investigate their complaint.
According to the residents, they are in fear that the continued hauling operation of ash could cause sickness among their children and the elderly who would be exposed to the dust and ash.
Besides this, they are also questioning whether the huge real property tax collected by their barangay and the share from the Department of Energy (DoE) that amount to hundreds of millions of pesos are being properly spent for the benefit of their community.
Based on the narrative of the residents of Bgy. Dacanlao, their barangay captain Andrew ‘Drew’ Luistro has acquired at least P435 million in real property taxes and also a share of P28 million from the DoE since a NaPoCor coal plant was located in their barangay.
Luistro noted, however, that the total P463 million thay had received was allocated to several projects that include water supply, a health center, streets and canal rehabilitation and funds for the purchase of vehicles for their barangay.
Despite this, though, residents of Bgy. Dacanlao expressed doubt if the actual expenditures were really attuned with the funds appropriated as there were allegations that millions had been picket for the personal interest of Luistro and his colleagues.
The complainants cited that there were witnesses who alleged that Luistro was often seen in bars and nightclubs with his co-barangay captains while drinking and womanizing and using the vehicles bought from barangay funds.
They added that the projects declared by Luistro should be thoroughly audited in order to find out if there had been any irregularity in how they were spent because there were also information that he and his Co-barangay officials receive 15 percent from private contractors.
