Distillery plant addresses environmental issues

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Victorias Milling Company (VMC) Distillery Plant Manufacturing Chief Linley Retirado said Thursday that environmental concerns raised against the plant have been addressed.

Retirado told reporters who toured the plant that the company’s P200-million investment in 2020 to address the concerns, particularly the odor emanating from the plant, have been completed and is now part of its operation.

He said another P100 million will be invested, particularly on the biodigester equipment.

Retirado added that measures taken to address the issues included the abandonment of the natural pond for an irrigation pond.

“From a natural lagoon we levelled up to an irrigation lagoon to prevent discharges into the river,” Retirado said.

He explained that the irrigation pond is not vulnerable to rainwater and flood water.

He admitted though that they cannot eliminate the smell arising from the area.

“This is a continous operation, we also encounter hitches,” he pointed out.

He further said “it is not necessarily 100 percent but there are mitigating efforts like treatment of enzymes.”

The plant is set to put up a biomass power plant to sustain its needs with an investment of P50 million in three years.

Currently, the plant produces 110,000 liters of anhydrous alcohol.

Also present in the media briefing were Atty. Anna Rosario Paner, Atty. Eva Rodriguez, who heads the Legal and Compliance Division; and Corporate Communications Director Anne Tiongco.