Davao law school sets meeting on coal-plant operation

Business Mirror

19 Feb 2014 

 

Written by Manuel T. Cayon

DAVAO CITY—The law school in Davao del Sur has scheduled a forum on Friday, February 21, on the merits and demerits of operating more coal plants in Mindanao, with both sides of the argument confirming their attendance.

Law students organizing the forum also confirmed the attendance of Commissioner Naderev Sano of the Philippine Climate Change Commission, who was asked to lay down the details of changing climate and its impact on the environment.

Dhawell Minoza, of the organizing committee of the freshmen law students at the Cor Jesu College of Davao City, said the activity was an annual activity of the freshmen law students, which usually involved debates on certain issues being discussed in the locality or in the country.

“We just want to be enlightened and to understand more on the importance of a coal plant, or its disadvantage to the communities and places around it,” he said.

He said the freshmen law students chose the topic due to the lingering debate on the operation of the Aboitiz-owned coal plant here and the Alsons-owned coal plant in Sarangani province. The two plants have an aggregate capacity of 500 megawatts, a big number to the energy-starved Mindanao. The two plants were set to go on full operation next year.

Dean Israelito P. Torreon of the law school said Manuel Orig, first vice president for Mindanao affairs of Aboitiz Power Corp., would speak on the importance of the coal plant and if the plant would follow the national standards.

Speaking for the other side would be a representative or spokesman of the No To Coal Movement, based in Davao City. This group and other environmentalist organizations have mounted strong opposition to the plant, on issues ranging from pollution and water extraction needs, to the threat of diseases to the communities and its contribution to the devastating changes in the climate.

“We have not yet formed our opinions here, Just like the rest of the community, we want to learn the facts and arguments to the plant,” Torreon said.     source