| By Jun Pasaylo (philstar.com) Updated February 25, 2011 06:29 PM |
MANILA, Philippines – A Mindanao-based environment organization maintained its opposition on the development of coal power plants in the southern Philippines, saying the region’s energy production is enough to supply the requirements of its residential users.
In a telephone interview, Jean Marie Ferraris, team leader of the Davao-based Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan, urged the government to reveal the “true energy requirements of Mindanao consumers instead of orchestrating the looming crisis in the region”.
“We asked the Department of Energy to reveal the truth of the looming crisis,” Ferraris said, believing that the development of coal power plants in Mindanao is aimed at addressing the demand of the mining sectors and not the residential users.
The statement came after residents of Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato protested on the development of coal fire facilities in the area.
Lake Sebu residents opposed any coal mining, coal power plants and other extractive activities following the entry of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) to their rich agricultural and ancestral lands, according to Ferraris.
SMC holds coal operating contracts for the 17,000-hectare coal rich area in Barangay Ned in Lake Sebu.
The group believed that the development of coal plants will only “serve the interest of mining companies, heedless of its negative effects on people’s health, livelihood and life”.
“It’s not the people but the mining companies that need more energy,” Ferraris said, citing that most of the undertakings are located near several mining projects in Mindanao.
The Mindanao Power Alliance (MPA) disclosed last year that the bulk of the power demand from the mining industry will cause a shortage by 2015 in Mindanao.
The area needs at least 1,500 megawatts where 1,000 MW of which will be consumed by the mining corporations, according to the MPA.
In a telephone interview, Jean Marie Ferraris, team leader of the Davao-based Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan, urged the government to reveal the “true energy requirements of Mindanao consumers instead of orchestrating the looming crisis in the region”.
“We asked the Department of Energy to reveal the truth of the looming crisis,” Ferraris said, believing that the development of coal power plants in Mindanao is aimed at addressing the demand of the mining sectors and not the residential users.
The statement came after residents of Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato protested on the development of coal fire facilities in the area.
Lake Sebu residents opposed any coal mining, coal power plants and other extractive activities following the entry of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) to their rich agricultural and ancestral lands, according to Ferraris.
SMC holds coal operating contracts for the 17,000-hectare coal rich area in Barangay Ned in Lake Sebu.
The group believed that the development of coal plants will only “serve the interest of mining companies, heedless of its negative effects on people’s health, livelihood and life”.
“It’s not the people but the mining companies that need more energy,” Ferraris said, citing that most of the undertakings are located near several mining projects in Mindanao.
The Mindanao Power Alliance (MPA) disclosed last year that the bulk of the power demand from the mining industry will cause a shortage by 2015 in Mindanao.
The area needs at least 1,500 megawatts where 1,000 MW of which will be consumed by the mining corporations, according to the MPA.
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