FILE / Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza Facebook page
BACOLOD CITY — Three Catholic bishops in Negros Occidental issued a collegial pastoral statement on Tuesday, Feb. 28, calling for the urgent transition into renewable energy amid the current climate crisis.
Bishops Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, Patricio Buzon of Bacolod, and Louie Galbines of Kabankalan urged all stakeholders to join their call to adopt clean and sustainable energy sources and pursue measures that would contribute to climate adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change.
“Recognizing our shared responsibility and the need for collective effort in creating and shaping the future we want for our province, we as leaders of the Catholic faithful in the province, invite all stakeholders to join our call to adopt clean and sustainable energy sources and pursue measures that will contribute to climate adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change,” they said.
The Dioceses of Bacolod, Kabankalan, and San Carlos have installed decentralized solar systems that help power their mission and daily operations.
The prelates encouraged parishes, religious communities, and organizations to be conscious of their energy use and its impact on the climate and the planet.
“Where possible, let renewable energy sources power our properties within seven years. There are clear and long-term environmental, social and economic benefits that can be derived from this bold initiative,” the bishops said.
They urged business establishments, households and communities to consider adopting alternative renewable energy sources, particularly rooftop solar systems, which can immediately address individual consumers’ electricity woes.
They also called on Catholic educational institutions not only to lead in climate and energy education but also lead by example in powering their facilities with renewable energy.
“Several universities in the Philippines were already powered by renewable energy, and in all cases, these have exhibited great economic and environmental gains,” they said.
The bishops also asked financial institutions such as banks, credit unions and cooperatives, funding agencies, and government finance organizations to play an integral role in this campaign.
“Financing mechanisms and channels should be made available so that access to renewable energy and its utilization becomes more affordable to the general public, based on a demand-driven approach to just energy transition,” they said.
The bishops said households and private establishments should also do their part by availing themselves of government programs and mechanisms such as the Net-Metering facility and the Green Energy Option Program to contribute to a clean and renewable-energy-powered future.
“Most importantly, we urge policymakers and the leadership of electric cooperatives, who play a crucial role in transitioning to Distributed Energy Resource systems, to put climate action and sustainable energy at the heart of their plans, projects, policies, programs, and daily operations,” they said.
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