Vice mayor urged to reconsider stance on coal power plant

Sunstar Davao

MILITANT group Alyansang Makabayan on Tuesday urged Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his support for the coal power plant proposed by Aboitiz Power Corp.

The coal-fired power plant, the group said, has more disastrous effects as it is described as "the dirtiest source of fuel."

"We urge the vice mayor to heed other sides of the issue. The Aboitiz can be very convincing as far as the vice mayor is concerned. There are opinions, however, that are completely opposed to the interests of the Aboitiz that have to be weighed in this deliberation," Bayan-Southern Mindanao Region spokesperson John Birondo said.

Bayan noted that in Calaca, Batangas, where a coal-fired power plant operates, people have experienced increase in respiratory ailments and difficulties in finding potable groundwater sources.

"They also complain of continuing noise and intermittent explosion-like noise, as well as extremely foul odor. Bleaching of coral reefs surrounding the coal plant in Masinloc, Zambales has been reported. Fishermen around the coal plants in Calaca, Masinloc, and in Naga, Cebu report diminishing fish catch. Communities near the coal plant in Pagbilao, Quezon experienced a 12-hour ash fall because of failure of the pollution controls of the plant," Birondo said.

"The environment and the people's health should not be compromised in any thought of our local leaders to tap alternative sources of energy," he said.

Birondo also referred to the looming threat of climate change and global warming which could be worsened by the operations of Aboitiz-proposed coal power plant.

"There is no assurance that the technology to be used can fully capture carbon dioxide emissions," Birondo said.

Birondo said that the proposal carries with it very high health and environmental risks knowing the fact that coal is considered as the dirtiest source of fuel.

"Evident experiences of such hazards were seen in some parts of the Philippines where there are existing operations of coal power plants," he added.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on October 13, 2010.