Cancel the Subic coal plant

Manila Times.net
Published : Sunday, December 11, 2011 04:02


The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has been holding forums with citizens, businessmen, NGOs and all sectors about the proposed coal-fired power plant that the RPE subsidiary of Meralco and Aboitiz is determined to build in a barangay within the Subic Bay Freeport area.
RPE, however, has snubbed the forums. One of its executives says the law does not require it to do “social acceptability” consultations.


Objectors point to the anomalous haste with which DENR approved the project’s clearance. Obviously the signing of a Lease and Development Agreement between RPE and SBMA was a midnight deal.


The greatest concern of the people is the effect on their and their children’s health. by the presence of a coal-fired plant in their midst. That and the effect of a coal power plant on tourism in Olongapo and Subic, which is a flourishing industry that creates a lot of jobs and earns the SBMA, Olongapo and Zambales Province some revenues, make businessmen and right-headed community leaders oppose the plant.


The project’s approval was most likely tainted with corruption. From a joint venture between the SBMA and the corporation behind the coal plant project, it became a Lease and Development contract. It requires the Aboitiz-Meralco RPE corporation to pay rent for peanuts—ludicrously very much less than the going rental rates. It gives SBMA no share in the profits of the power plant.


Similar projects in other provinces with lower land values and less glamour and international stature than Subic, produce revenue of at least $500 million a year for the provinces, towns and barangays in which the coal plants are located.


Mr. President, please order SBMA to cancel the project. And also get some investigators go deep into why the old SBMA management willingly agreed to deprive the government of income.


Not moving to prosecute the case is like abandoning the Daang Matuwid principle.