Gov’t urged to stop construction of coal power plant in Subic

Representatives of various sectors on Tuesday urged the government to stop the construction of a coal power plant at the Subic Bay Freeport zone in Zambales for allegedly posing threats to health, tourism, and the environment. Energy giants Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), Aboitiz Power and Taiwan Cogen Corporation are currently building a 600-megawatt coal power plant in Subic, which is estimated to cost $1.28 billion. The plant, which will reportedly start operating in 2014, will supposedly bring cheap energy and augment energy needs of the area and the rest of Luzon. Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to recall the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) earlier issued by former Environment chief Lito Atienza for the plant’s construction and operation. “It [The ECC] was very quietly done. Did they really conduct a good assessment in terms of public health and environmental impacts? Was it a clean deal?... Bakit walang public consultation? Napakahalaga sa isang ECC na may public consultation," Bello claimed. Bello, describing coal as the “dirtiest energy source," wondered why the previous administration allowed the construction of the coal power plant. "‘Yung environmental aspects, kung hindi [maayos], talagang hindi dapat bigyan ng go-signal ‘yan… If it doesn’t pass environmental standards, then it can’t go on," he said in a press briefing on Tuesday. No supporters Bello, who filed last June a resolution to conduct a probe on the issuance of the ECC, likewise said the construction of the coal power plant in Subic “has no supporters from the public and government officials" in the area. “If we have this kind of opposition from the people and from a unified force, including the governor, malaking factor ito. Will the power companies push through a plan that will be constantly opposed by the people? Malaking risk ‘yan para sa kanila," he said. Meanwhile, Alex Hermoso, convenor of the Subic Bay Coalition against Coal, said the coal power plant was not needed because the energy needs of the province were already being met by existing plants. “Hindi naman bumababa ang kuryente kahit na may surplus tayo. Lagi sinisingil sa taumbayan," he said during the same press conference. He added that the government can instead tap renewable energy sources, such solar energy and wind turbines, if it really wants to augment the power supply in the country. Gregorio Magdaraog, vice president for corporate affairs of the Ocean Adventure marine park in Subic, likewise expressed reservations on the plan to build the coal power plant. “Kami po ay nangangamba na ang proyektong ito ay magkakaroon ng negative effects sa aming kalagayan sa Subic. Ang amin pong kalagayan bilang pasilidad na panturismo ay maaring magkaroon ng hindi magandang epekto dahil sa power plant na ito," he said. - VVP, GMA News