DAVAO CITY—Opposition to the 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant that energy firm Aboitiz Power has been pushing in Toril district here continues to mount.
But in Davao del Sur, despite opposition aired by residents of Malalag town, Gov. Douglas Cagas reiterated his support to a similar project proposed by mining giant Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc.
On Friday, residents of Binugao and Siwarawan in Toril district here staged another protest to oppose the Aboitiz project, which they branded as anti-environment.
The fresh protest was held in the wake of admission by some members of the city council that they received money from Aboitiz during the company-sponsored trip to a coal-fired plant in Misamis Oriental in January.
Scandal
City councilors told reporters the company gave them P6,000 each as reimbursement of expenses they incurred during the trip to Steag State Power Inc. in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.
Dr. Jean Lindo, one of the convenors of the No To Coal, who earlier said the acceptance of the amount was scandalous, said all their eyes were on Aboitiz now.
“We are closely watching Aboitiz’s attempts at railroading its deadly coal project at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP). We note that they are already asking for endorsement when in fact, they haven’t even provided health and environmental impact assessments (HEIA) yet for the SP and the people to know the true (environmental) cost of a coal-fired power plant,” Lindo said.
But even if the company has not submitted a HEIA yet, Lindo said the project "deserves outright junking."
Aboitiz had repeatedly dismissed fears the project would have negative impact on health and environment.
It said the project was "necessary, clean and safe, and beneficial to the people as it would provide cheaper energy and jobs.”
Erramon Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz Power, said the company's plan to build coal-fired power plant is their "urgent and decisive step to attain self-sufficiency and security in power supply.”
"Mindanao will be facing a continuing and debilitating power crisis unless new power plants are built to cover the shortfall… Aboitiz Power believes that available, reliable, and affordable power is the lifeblood of our country, fueling our economy and individual opportunity," he said.
But Franchie Buhayan, secretary general of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Southern Mindanao said the Philippine grid only consumes 9,472 megawatt under an installed power capacity of 15,610 megawatt. He was citing 2009 data from the Department of Energy.
“Simply put, we have excess power equivalent to 18 power plants having a 200 megawatt capacity each," she said.
“The true cost of coal is no joke. We have the future generation to think about. The best legacy that we could leave behind is for them to have a safe future. We appeal to the justness of our government leaders. We cannot make the next generation suffer at our expense," environmental rights group Panalipdan (Protect) said.
Change
In Digos City in Davao del Sur, Cagas said his stand against coal-fired plants changed after the visit of provincial board members to Misamis Oriental.
“Our perception that coal fired power plant is dirty was wrong because it is so clean,” he said. Besides, he said the project would benefit the people of the province by providing additional power source.
But the Tingog Ug Gugma Alang Sa Kinaiyahan (Voice and Love for the Environment) Davao del Sur or Tugaska, a group opposing the power plant, said it would never benefit the people of the province.
Bernard Viñan, Tugaska deputy secretary general, said the reality was that the power plant that SMI has been pushing in Malalag will only be used to provide electricity to the mining company’s operation in the borders of South Cotabato and Davao del Sur.
“It will be used in running its machinery, in separating water and mineral ores from tailing pipes in its mining area in Barangay (village) Kimlawis in Kiblawan,” he said.
Viñan said that on the contrary, the construction of the power plant on a 100-hectare area in Malalag would destroy farmlands and cause the dislocation of hundreds of people. Jeffrey Tupas and Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao
But in Davao del Sur, despite opposition aired by residents of Malalag town, Gov. Douglas Cagas reiterated his support to a similar project proposed by mining giant Xstrata’s Sagittarius Mines Inc.
On Friday, residents of Binugao and Siwarawan in Toril district here staged another protest to oppose the Aboitiz project, which they branded as anti-environment.
The fresh protest was held in the wake of admission by some members of the city council that they received money from Aboitiz during the company-sponsored trip to a coal-fired plant in Misamis Oriental in January.
Scandal
City councilors told reporters the company gave them P6,000 each as reimbursement of expenses they incurred during the trip to Steag State Power Inc. in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.
Dr. Jean Lindo, one of the convenors of the No To Coal, who earlier said the acceptance of the amount was scandalous, said all their eyes were on Aboitiz now.
“We are closely watching Aboitiz’s attempts at railroading its deadly coal project at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP). We note that they are already asking for endorsement when in fact, they haven’t even provided health and environmental impact assessments (HEIA) yet for the SP and the people to know the true (environmental) cost of a coal-fired power plant,” Lindo said.
But even if the company has not submitted a HEIA yet, Lindo said the project "deserves outright junking."
Aboitiz had repeatedly dismissed fears the project would have negative impact on health and environment.
It said the project was "necessary, clean and safe, and beneficial to the people as it would provide cheaper energy and jobs.”
Erramon Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz Power, said the company's plan to build coal-fired power plant is their "urgent and decisive step to attain self-sufficiency and security in power supply.”
"Mindanao will be facing a continuing and debilitating power crisis unless new power plants are built to cover the shortfall… Aboitiz Power believes that available, reliable, and affordable power is the lifeblood of our country, fueling our economy and individual opportunity," he said.
But Franchie Buhayan, secretary general of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Southern Mindanao said the Philippine grid only consumes 9,472 megawatt under an installed power capacity of 15,610 megawatt. He was citing 2009 data from the Department of Energy.
“Simply put, we have excess power equivalent to 18 power plants having a 200 megawatt capacity each," she said.
“The true cost of coal is no joke. We have the future generation to think about. The best legacy that we could leave behind is for them to have a safe future. We appeal to the justness of our government leaders. We cannot make the next generation suffer at our expense," environmental rights group Panalipdan (Protect) said.
Change
In Digos City in Davao del Sur, Cagas said his stand against coal-fired plants changed after the visit of provincial board members to Misamis Oriental.
“Our perception that coal fired power plant is dirty was wrong because it is so clean,” he said. Besides, he said the project would benefit the people of the province by providing additional power source.
But the Tingog Ug Gugma Alang Sa Kinaiyahan (Voice and Love for the Environment) Davao del Sur or Tugaska, a group opposing the power plant, said it would never benefit the people of the province.
Bernard Viñan, Tugaska deputy secretary general, said the reality was that the power plant that SMI has been pushing in Malalag will only be used to provide electricity to the mining company’s operation in the borders of South Cotabato and Davao del Sur.
“It will be used in running its machinery, in separating water and mineral ores from tailing pipes in its mining area in Barangay (village) Kimlawis in Kiblawan,” he said.
Viñan said that on the contrary, the construction of the power plant on a 100-hectare area in Malalag would destroy farmlands and cause the dislocation of hundreds of people. Jeffrey Tupas and Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao
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