Rhodina Villanueva (The Philippine
Star) - July 25, 2019 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines —
Environmentalists lauded President Duterte for emphasizing the need
“to fast-track renewable energy (RE) resources to reduce the country’s
dependence on traditional energy sources such as coal” in his fourth State of
the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
Renato Redentor Constantino,
executive director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities,
said, “The President’s call to fast-track renewable energy projects to
reduce dependence on coal is the signal policymakers need to hear. No less than
the country’s chief executive is echoing what financial institutions now
robustly recognize, that the Philippines is needlessly dependent on
economically harmful, unreliable and heavily subsidized polluting coal and
imported fossil fuels.”
“The country already has $21 billion
worth of stranding coal plant assets in the pipeline, and we already pay more
than $200 million per year in diesel subsidies. But we can achieve energy
security and secure more affordable, cleaner power by hastening the transition
to renewable energy,” the group said.
Constantino also said, “As Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas managing director Lyn Javier said last Friday in their
Greening the Finance System launch with private sector groups, ‘climate change
affects the entire economy, yet the financial sector is not fully aware of the
impacts of climate change to our businesses.’”
The Institute for Climate and
Sustainable Cities is a Manila-based international climate and energy policy
group advancing climate resilience and low carbon development.
The Center for Energy, Ecology and
Development (CEED) also welcomed the statement issued by President Duterte in
his SONA, recognizing “the urgent need to ensure the sustainability and
availability of resources and development of alternative ones,” and ordering
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to “fast-track the development of renewable
energy sources,” and to “reduce dependence on traditional energy sources such
as coal.”
“We hope that this SONA signals the
shift of the administration’s energy policy largely favoring coal towards one
which harnesses the potential of more RE sources to lower power costs, reduce
our carbon emissions, and power a people-centered development. But this hope
will be fortified if the President lifts the unjust privilege enjoyed by coal companies
through Executive Order 30, at the expense of the environment and the rights of
citizens and consumers,” said Gerry Arances, CEED executive director.
Executive Order 30 establishes the
Energy Investment Coordinating Council, an inter-agency group to be led by a
representative of the Department of Energy. It is ordered to “establish a
simplified approval process, and harmonize the relevant rules and regulations
of all government agencies involved in obtaining permits and regulatory
approvals” when it comes to implementing big-ticket energy projects.
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