Local residents and environmental advocates in Tayabas City are challenging the Calavite Passages Wind Power Corp. following illegal construction and alleged violations of environmental laws near Mt. Banahaw.
The city of Tayabas has become the center of a heated dispute between environmental advocates, local government officials, and the Calavite Passages Wind Power Corp . (CPWPC).
The conflict stems from the company's attempt to seek approval from the local zoning body despite a history of disregarding environmental regulations and local ordinances. In April 2026, the Tayabas Local Government Unit issued a Notice of Violation to the corporation after it was discovered that a meteorological mast—a massive tower used to analyze wind strength for potential energy projects—had been erected in Barangay Ilayang Ilasan without the necessary building permits.
This act of unauthorized construction has sparked outrage among local residents who view the move as a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the ecological integrity of the region. Beyond the missing permits, the company is facing severe allegations regarding the illegal cutting of trees and a complete failure to conduct social acceptability consultations with the affected community before initiating the project.
The timing of the city planning and development office's (CPDO) response has also been heavily criticized, as residents claim the authorities only stepped in to inspect the site after the environmental damage had already been done. The tension escalated further during a consultative meeting held on May 13 at Barangay Ilayang Ilasan. During this gathering, members of the CPDO reportedly infuriated the local population by accusing them of spreading fake news on social media platforms.
The dispute centered on the classification of the land where the tower was built; while the community insisted the area was a forest, the CPDO argued that according to the Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP) and the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), the site is considered titled private land rather than forest land. The government office maintained that the land owner had simply rented the property to CPWPC.
However, legal counsel for the community, lawyer Mark Martinez of Tanggol Kalikasan, has countered these claims by highlighting that the company violated multiple environmental laws. Specifically, Martinez pointed out the absence of an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), which is a mandatory requirement for projects of this nature, alongside the failure to secure various other necessary permits from the Tayabas LGU, making the construction legally untenable regardless of land ownership status.
Environmental groups are now sounding the alarm regarding the broader implications of the project. Hobart Dator Jr., the president of the Save Mt. Banahaw Movement and Tanggol Lucban, expressed deep concern over the proximity of the project to the sacred Mt. Banahaw.
He argued that the construction of such infrastructure could hamper the natural flow of resources from the mountain down to the lowlands, potentially jeopardizing the water supply and the delicate ecosystem of the sacred peak. Dator has pledged that his organization will maintain a vigilant watch over all activities in the vicinity of the mountain to ensure its protection.
Similarly, Ben Francia, a spokesman for the One Quezon Movement and a local farmer, views the meteorological mast as a precursor to the installation of massive wind turbines. He believes that such a large-scale industrialization of the landscape would have devastating adverse effects on both the natural environment and the quality of life for residents.
Francia has used social media to educate the public on these risks, asserting that the local community should be the supreme authority in deciding whether such projects proceed, regardless of any approvals granted by the national government. As it stands, the appeal for a building permit filed by CPWPC remains pending before the CPDO, while the community continues to fight for the preservation of their ancestral lands and natural heritage
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