CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The newly formed Quantum Asia announced yesterday that the construction of numerous plasma facilities is set to start in December as various delays in their Philippine plasma programs have been already settled.
Quantum CEO and Director of Operations Al Johnson said that he is still totally committed to seeing the Philippines with 20 plus plasma facilities to be completed within five years.
“This would drop the cost of electricity in half on a national basis. It would also eventually eliminate all the current landfills,” Johnson assured.
He also announced that Quantum is entering into agreements with the Philippine Coast Guard for possible plasma operations for maritime pollution.
He said the key factor in keeping Quantum locked with the Philippines is Santa Cruz, Marinduque and their Mayor Wilfredo Red. Marinduque’s Marcopper mining operations linked to past Philippine political corruption at the highest levels years ago environmentally destroyed the island.
“Mayor Red has dedicated his life to this matter and the people of Santa Cruz” said Johnson. He stressed that Quantum will make Santa Cruz, firm’s first project and will hopefully link this with Coast Guard and Philippine marine operations.
“We are also supporting legal action against the offenders that caused this environmental disaster,” he said.
Quantum plans for Philippine plasma is the most aggressive in Asia, in spite of demands for their technology in various Asian, Mideast and African countries.
“We currently have additional new requests for Plasma facilities in Abucay (Bataan), Capas (Tarlac), Baliuag (Bulacan), Solano (Nueva Vizcaya), Tumauini (Isabela), Solana (Cagayan), Tagbilaran (Bohol) and Toledo City (Cebu).
The Philippines currently has millions of tons of untreated municipal and industrial waste which is a major environmental threat.
Quantum Vice President Merlinda Cantero said Plasma technology is the most effective way to handle this problem.
“Our average facilities in the Philippines will process between 2,000 and 5,000 Metric Tons of municipal waste daily, producing roughly one Megawatt for each ton of waste eliminated. The main thing is that we will actively stop the practice of storing municipal waste by the hundreds of thousands of tons, allowing for continued pollution from these landfills,” Cantero said.
In addition to the problem of air pollution from these landfills, the most troublesome aspect is that these sites allow dangerous substances to eventually seep into ground water systems serving the communities causing dangerous health hazards. The worst case of this is the Santa Cruz in the Province of Marinduque.
“But Mayor Red will be the example and Santa Cruz will be the model for the various Asian Plasma operations,” Cantero said.
Various US Quantum engineers are currently in route to Asia for final meetings and to prepare for the initial construction phases for Quantum Plasma to start in December.
“Right now we are completing Plasma contracts for new facilities in Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Australia for electricity in addition to other Government contracts for low income housing, hospitals and highway projects using other advanced Quantum building technologies,” Johnson added.
He said Quantum required strong partnerships with established and respected Philippine business partners in the funding and ownership of all the Plasma facilities.
“While Quantum had 100 percent funding with our own Funding Syndicates and Trusts, we wanted at least 30 percent ownership from the private Philippine sector and established Philippine companies,” he added.
Johnson said all of the proposed Quantum Philippine energy projects fall under special “Energy Provisions” with the Philippine Government, where 100 percent foreign ownership of the facilities and operations are totally permitted.
“Philippine partnerships are not a Government requirement as with most Philippine business ventures. This was solely a company requirement of myself and Quantum,” said Johnson.