Thousands of protestors from across Palawan are set to march from the municipal hall of Aborlan to the capitol building in Puerto Princesa City Thursday and Friday to protest the proposed construction of a coal-fired power plant in Aborlan.
Former Aborlan Mayor Celsa Adier is leading the activities and will be joined by former Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who is known for his passion and dedication toward the protection of the environment. The protesters come from Western Philippines University, faith communities, fishermen, cultural minority groups and concerned citizens of Aborlan and the surrounding towns of Quezon and Tagaytay.
Aborlan, 69 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa, is the agriculture center of Palawan and the home of cultural minority groups such as Tagbanua, Palawano, Batak and Molbog. Corporate giant DMCI is reportedly going ahead with the construction of the first coal plant in Palawan that environmentalists say will cause pollution and serious health problems affecting the livelihood of the indigenous people.
One of the organizers, Christine E.V. Gonzales, a naturopathic physician and health care practitioner assisting indigenous communities in achieving food sovereignty, is campaigning to remove all coal power plants in the Philippines. She cited the hazards of coal mining to physical health and the ecology.
Gonzales cited the experience of Batangas Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant in Calaca, where people in the area eat inside their mosquito nets to avoid coal ashes going to their food. source
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