“Harmonizing Environment and Technology” is a comprehensive, strategic and detailed communication plan to achieve social acceptability for Energy Development Corporation’s (EDC's) steam augmentation project at the buffer zone of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park in Negros Occidental. A campaign that went beyond being a short-lived blitz, it provided consistent and clear information to all stakeholders through various channels, enabling them to understand and accept that energy and environment can be harmonized.
“Harmonizing environment and technology” effectively merged technical and PR savvy in fostering integrity of the company’s operations, its genuine concern for the environment and noble goal of uplifting the lives of its host communities. It succeeded in 'laymanizing' technical information on geothermal energy and environmental management, and highlighted the validation of experts of EDC’s data to get the message across and gain the overwhelming support of the Negrenses.
Proof of its successful implementation is EDC’s operations inside Kanlaon’s buffer zone as well as the hundreds of farmers and students who voluntarily support EDC. The communication plan armed the public with correct data for their informed decision.
EDC also took home four other awards for its outstanding PR tools and programs. Aside from the Grand Anvil, “Harmonizing Environment and Technology” also won an Anvil Award of Excellence, as did EDC’s annual report “A New Beginning” and its privatization program. “Geothermal power: a water solution,” an audio-visual production shown to foreign audiences in the 2008 World Expo in Zaragoza, Spain received an Anvil Award of Merit.
The energy business is not the easiest. Being willing to pioneer could mean bringing innovations to communities before the community is ready. But as EDC's experience demonstrated, a win-win solution could be found through open consultation and sincere dialogue with stakeholders.
Winning the Grand Anvil definitely bestows prestige and provides intrinsic rewards for the hard-fought campaign we have waged in the name of sustainable development. But earning the public’s trust each time we operate a new project gives us new strength to carry on our time-honored mandate of providing clean and lasting power. For us in EDC, acting responsibly is the foremost guiding principle that will help us pursue the non-conventional energy projects that we are naturally driven to. By doing so, we live up to our commitment to contribute to sustainable development. We empower people, we empower life and that’s how we make a difference.
Receiving the Grand Anvil Award for the Northern Negros Geothermal Project (NNGP) Communication Plan is EDC chairman Oscar Lopez (fourth from right). Together with him are (from left) NNGP CSR chief Joey Higgins, EDC security manager General Raymundo Jarque, Anvil jurors chair Secretary Jesus Dureza EDC president Paul Aquino, EDC SVP Agnes de Jesus, NNGP resident manager Gino dela Cruz and NNGP Environmental superintendent Erwin Magallanes.
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