DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Residents of Binugao village in Toril district here have asked the city government to reject the proposal of Aboitiz Corp. to put up a coal-fired power plant in the village.
“We appeal to our leaders that they listen and respect our opposition to this project. We are worried that this project will adversely affect the health of the people in the village and bring more destruction than good,” village councilor Flora Salandron, who was speaking in behalf of the village’s residents, said.
Dr. Jean Lindo, one of the convenors of the No to Coal Davao, said the leaders of the city should “feel the concern and fear of the people on the proposed project.”
“The development supposedly brought by this project would be nothing compared to the destruction of the environment and its ill effects on the health of the people,” she said.
Lindo said the Aboitiz’s statement that the project would not pollute the environment was “a total statement of fallacy and deception.”
“There is no such thing as clean coal,” she said.
Last week, the city council approved on first reading the proposed project and forwarded it to the committee on energy, committee on environment, committee on health and committee on trade and commerce. The four committees were tasked to conduct public consultations on the proposal.
Councilor Bernard Al-ag, who chairs the committee on health, said they should carefully scrutinize claims of possible hazards that the project could bring to the health of residents.
“We want to know if the project will affect the health of the people of Davao, particularly the people living around and close to the (designated site of the) facility,” he said.
But Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has been very vocal about his endorsement of the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant even before the conduct of any study.
His daughter, Mayor Sara Duterte, said she was personally opposed to the project although she would go with the decision of the people.
Lindo said that once approved, the Binugao plant would become the latest addition to the country’s “dependence on one of the dirtiest and most harmful identified sources of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution that puts the country’s environment and health at great risk.”
A petition submitted to the city council by those opposing the project states that 10 coal-fired power plants have been set up all over the country.
They said that a typical 300-MW coal-fired plant “burns 150 tons of coal per hour and emits 1.8 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.”
“We, as Filipinos and energy consumers, have a right to demand for clean, renewable and affordable sources of energy without compromising our right to a healthful environment and genuine development,” the petition said.
Dr. Jean Lindo, one of the convenors of the No to Coal Davao, said the leaders of the city should “feel the concern and fear of the people on the proposed project.”
“The development supposedly brought by this project would be nothing compared to the destruction of the environment and its ill effects on the health of the people,” she said.
Lindo said the Aboitiz’s statement that the project would not pollute the environment was “a total statement of fallacy and deception.”
“There is no such thing as clean coal,” she said.
Last week, the city council approved on first reading the proposed project and forwarded it to the committee on energy, committee on environment, committee on health and committee on trade and commerce. The four committees were tasked to conduct public consultations on the proposal.
Councilor Bernard Al-ag, who chairs the committee on health, said they should carefully scrutinize claims of possible hazards that the project could bring to the health of residents.
“We want to know if the project will affect the health of the people of Davao, particularly the people living around and close to the (designated site of the) facility,” he said.
But Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has been very vocal about his endorsement of the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant even before the conduct of any study.
His daughter, Mayor Sara Duterte, said she was personally opposed to the project although she would go with the decision of the people.
Lindo said that once approved, the Binugao plant would become the latest addition to the country’s “dependence on one of the dirtiest and most harmful identified sources of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution that puts the country’s environment and health at great risk.”
A petition submitted to the city council by those opposing the project states that 10 coal-fired power plants have been set up all over the country.
They said that a typical 300-MW coal-fired plant “burns 150 tons of coal per hour and emits 1.8 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.”
“We, as Filipinos and energy consumers, have a right to demand for clean, renewable and affordable sources of energy without compromising our right to a healthful environment and genuine development,” the petition said.
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