Guimaras Island has recently emerged as a rapidly-developing island in the Western Visayas Region. There are a number of reasons for this assessment.
First, it has excellent access to a sustainable and non-polluting source of electricity with the operation of several windmills in San Lorenzo that generate some 54 megawatts of electricity from prevalent winds.
This technology will enable the island to reduce its carbon footprint due to development.
The southern part of the island is already attracting people, including tourists, because of the windmills, the well-developed road system, as well as the other attractions on the island.
Secondly, Guimaras is world-famous because of its agricultural product, the Guimaras mango, which is exported abroad.
Guimaras must have the soil characteristics and the rainfall pattern to produce the best mango in the country.
Thirdly, it has unique species of biodiversity not occurring in other parts of the Visayas, namely, the Irrawaddy Dolphin and the Dugong (sea cow). These two species are tourist attractions.
Fourthly, the land environment of the island is largely forested, making the island attractive and healthful. Mangroves are protected and are thriving very well. Other coastal ecosystems such as seagrass beds and coral reefs remain in relatively good shape, especially those on smaller islets.
The only negative activity that causes sedimentation of coastal areas with ill effects on marine biodiversity is the production of lime from limestone rocks.
This industry needs to be controlled by the local governments to minimize its effects on the marine environment.
A look at the map of the Philippines would reveal that the location of Guimaras Island is ideal for harnessing the energy from the two major wind systems, the northeast and southwest monsoon winds.
The southern part of the island where the windmills are located is higher in elevation. Toward the northeast of the island lie Guimaras Strait and the Visayan Sea, through which the north-trending winds can flow without an island-barrier; toward the south, the southwest monsoon winds flow directly to the island through the Sulu Sea. Both wind systems would allow year-round operation of the windmills that are set on the elevated area of southern Guimaras.
A question is asked: Are there other islands in the Visayas regions where windmills can be constructed to take advantage of the power of winds to generate electricity? If so, the case of Guimaras, where 54 MW of electric power is generated, can be replicated.
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Author’s email: suakcrem@yahoo.com
