Wednesday, December 7, 2011
WE EXPECT loud howls from those who fear the backlash of not welcoming coal-fired power in the city. Power shortage! A disincentive to investors! A return to backwardness!
But studies from all over would show there is no such thing as clean coal. Yes, there will be clean exhaust from coal-fired plant, but that does not make the environmental cost any less threatening, especially for the future generation.
Plan your Sinulog week ahead and find out what's in store for Sinulog 2012.
Our opposition from the start has never been for us alone. It has been for the future, and thus we applaud Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte when she expressed apprehension on the environmental and health implications of such power plant.
“I am not willing to compromise the people’s right to health, clean air and water, and environmental sustainability,” we quote her veto message as we applaud. "My stand as hereto manifested is not without basis. It is legally hinged on and would give substance to Section 16 Article II of the 1987 Constitution mandating that 'the state shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature' which unites with Section 15 of the same law, which states that 'the state shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them."
May we just point it out to those who refuse to see, our country is but a dot in the whole world and we have just enough space and barely enough resources for the 94,349,600 all over the Philippines. We have a little bit more in Davao City, but not for long. Being 87th fastest growing city in terms of population, worldwide, these resources will easily be used up. Do we even have enough water for these people?
Before we even think of the luxuries that power bring, let us remind ourselves that our most precious resource is our water. We have been assured that no water will be drilled, but as it is, the people are already consuming more than what the city’s aquifers can provide. Sooner than later, we will have to tap our surface water sources and factor in how much it will cost to do so. The farther away the source is, the more expensive it will become. Will our people be able to cope with such expense? They have to, but they will have to suffer for it. How much they will have to suffer, we will only know in the future when there is no longer enough for all. As it is, the water we have been boasting about is not even enjoyed by the people of Lasang and only drops of it are enjoyed by the people of Buhangin. This is but a whisper of warning that water is not inexhaustible.
And then there are the emissions. Yes, the emissions may not be black, but that doesn’t make them less lethal. Add coal ash to that, where will these be kept?
But before we are branded as anti-development as the pro-coal will, let us point to everyone that the investments that are coming in, the construction boom, the bustling economy is just partly about power. Cebu is having a lot of problems with their power and yet they are so up there in terms of investments and business activities. There are other factors that are bringing in the investors, let us not sell ourselves and our city too cheaply as to claim that power generation is all we can offer.
Let this veto not pit the pros against cons. Instead, let this be a challenge for all to look at everything that we have been gifted with and work out ways how we can nurture these gifts and hand these down to the succeeding generations by pushing and investing in technologies that bode well not just for the environment but for the over-all health of the people for generations to come.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on December 08, 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment