ILOILO CITY—Another alliance against coal-fired power plants has been formed in Iloilo.

Composed of professionals, representatives from the academe and non-government organizations, they vowed to get involved in “active opposition” against the construction of a coal-fired power plant here.

Collectively called the Ilonggo Action Network on Climate Change, they vowed to disseminate information on the “real and dangerous” problems of global warming and climate change, and the role coal-fired power plants play in these phenomena.

According to Jory Porquia, coordinator of the group, the failure of various groups to generate a strong mass movement against the coal-fired power plant project of the Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC) in Barangay Ingore, La Paz district, encouraged him to convene the new group.

“The war is not yet lost,” Porquia said.

The coal plant project has been the subject of criticisms from environmentalists, the Catholic Church and social activists here since last year. But their protests have failed to gather steam.

“We have to generate the broadest opposition to stop the coal plant,” Porquia said.

He cited the coal plant’s lack of location clearance and building permit.

“[GBPC] claims [it] could mitigate the effects of hazardous emissions [from the coal plant], but where will it put the waste materials?” asked Porquia.

“We will file a case for illegal construction, seek a temporary restraining order to stop the project, and conduct massive movements in villages against the facility,” Porquia said.

Environmental group Greenpeace has criticized the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for continuing to finance the use of fossil fuel in Asia.

In a statement, the group said the ADB “failed to live up to their own recommendations and promises to combat climate change” made during the Climate and Clean Energy Week that concluded in Manila recently.

Greenpeace said the ADB’s updated Energy Policy, released during the event, was “business as usual, with no intention of removal of coal, oil or gas from its portfolio” and make way for investments in tried, tested and real “clean energy” technologies such as wind, solar and modern bio-mass.

“For all the brave words uttered during the meeting on climate leadership, ADB’s new energy policy is seriously flawed. For the ADB, ‘clean energy’ are words that do not mean anything,” said Amalie Obusan, Greenpeace Southeast Asia climate and energy campaigner.

She added that the ADB would continue to finance oil-based power plants for island communities and sparsely populated areas instead of promoting solar, wind or modern renewable energy sources “that have proven to be the best bet for such communities.”