| Abstract |
Philippine geothermal projects have evolved into total community development efforts over the years. This is mainly attributed to the in situ development and sustainable management of the geothermal resource. Alongside the application of resource-sustaining geothermal technologies, state-run Philippine National Oil Company û Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC) also considers the social aspect of sustainability by adopting the integrated social forestry (ISF) scheme which would later set the pace for the companyÆs other community development initiatives. With ISF, the company was able to effectively mobilize the upland communities, create livelihood opportunities and inculcate positive values among them to work collectively towards becoming self-reliant. Meanwhile, the parallel corporate citizenship efforts have served as yardsticks for social desirability of many development projects in the country. With these experiences, PNOC-EDC has demonstrated that geothermal projects can be an impetus in bringing about rural development. |