EDC’s Negros facility receives safety seal

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The 222.5-megawatt Southern Negros Geothermal Project of the Energy Development Corporation, that is owned by First Gen, has been certified compliant with the minimum health standards set by the government against the coronavirus disease.

Although getting the safety seal certification is voluntary, the geothermal leader took on the challenge and invited representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment to inspect its 24/7 green energy facility in Valencia, Negros Oriental, to showcase the health and safety protocols being implemented to ensure the protection of its employees and contractors on site.

Nurse Mary Trishia Alesna and the rest of EDC’s COVID-19 officers in Negros and other sites have been working hard to keep all employees and contractors on site safe from the deadly virus since the start of the pandemic last year.

“The utmost importance that we give to the health and safety of our workforce and partners has been put to the test since the start of the pandemic last year. It was imperative for EDC to keep everyone safe, from the time they enter our facilities until they go home to their families, as we continue to provide an uninterrupted source of clean, reliable power to our country,” Engr. Debonnaire Mamhot, head of the Southern Negros Geothermal Project, said in a statement furnished to the Negros NOW Daily Sept. 27.

Through the collaborative effort of the EDC’s Occupational Health team and COVID-19 officers, led by Mary Trishia Alesna, safety officers Earl Alano and Ma. Theresa Cardino, and compliance officer Bonife Marie Gaso-Llena, they were able to showcase the protocols being implemented at the SNGP.

These include thorough health entry screening, like temperature checks, submission of health declaration form, and QR Code scanning; strengthened COVID-Health Information, Education, and Communication campaign; and signages reminding everyone of the minimum health standards and the need for full compliance.

“This certification encourages us to share our best practices with our stakeholders and other companies, to help them keep their own people safe from COVID-19, and from harm,” Mamhot said.

EDC’s Negros team has been consistently recognized for its practices that go beyond compliance and sustainability.

In June this year, it won the Gawad Tugas award under the Clean Air and Water-Power Plant Category from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for its exemplary performance in environmental protection, conservation, and management.

Last year, its Baslay Coffee Project for its Baslay Farmers’ Association received the prestigious Grand Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines and the Best CSR Award for Enterprise Development from the League of Corporate Foundations’ CSR Guild Awards.

EDC also elevates its power customers in Negros Island and all over the country by helping them to lower their carbon footprint and even become carbon neutral through the clean, reliable, geothermal energy, or Geo 24/7 that it provides them.

The company generates over 40 percent of the Philippines’ renewable energy output and serves about 10 percent of the country’s overall electricity demand with its installed capacity of almost 1,500MW.| PR