Bago City Mayor Marina Javellana-Yao (center) with Sermsang Power Corporation Chief Operating Officer Passakorn Panyaratanakorn, Senior Business Development Officer Yaowapa Klaonopparat, Almana Power representative Yryne Valenzuela, and mayor’s chief of staff, Dr. Jonathan Lobaton (l-r), during the initial discussion of the proposed windmill project at the City Mayor’s Office.*
Bago City Mayor Marina Javellana-Yao has expressed optimism for an investment and employment boost as a power firm based in Thailand is eyeing for a windmill project in Bago.
Javellana, on the sidelines of the initial discussion with the officials of Sermsang Power Corporation at her office Tuesday afternoon, July 1, said looks forward to receiving more investors as Bago is really open for businesses and investments.
“The future really looks so bright for Bago,” she said, adding that any investment that will be able to help the Bagonhons, being able to generate more jobs and opportunities for them, is welcome in the city.
The mayor also assured investors of the local government’s support.
“Let us make it easier for them (investors). Our City Investment and Incentive Code is underway and hopefully they may be able to get incentives for their investments in our city,” she added.
Passakorn Panyaratanakorn, chief operating officer of Sermsang Power Corporation, said their company has been working on renewable energy business and other industry sectors like solar and windmills for 15 years already.
“The reason why we are here is because we’ve seen opportunities here in Bago. We see the option that we can make some investments in the city, we see the potential for a windmill to be installed here,” he added.
The Sermsang Power Corporation currently has renewable energy projects in five countries like Thailand.*PR
In Bago City, the firm is eyeing for a 150-megawatt windmill project which will be its first-ever project in the Philippines.
Panyaratanakorn said they target to start the operation of the windmill with 23 turbines by the end of next year. They can operate for 20 years, he added.
“After which, we are also looking at the possibility of expanding to other areas here,” the power firm official also said.
In terms of employment, the power firm officials said the project would initially provide employment to at least 100 individuals, mostly Bagonhons.
Also present during the exploratory talk were Sermsang Power Corporation Senior Business Development Yaowapa Klaonopparat, Almana Power representative Yryne Valenzuela, and Dr. Jonathan Lobaton, the chief of staff of Mayor Javellana-Yao.*PR