Zambales board rejects coal plant in Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The provincial board of Zambales opposed the construction of a coal-fired power plant in this free port even as the Aquino administration supported the project recently.

Zambales Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II said the board on Monday passed a resolution opposing the establishment of a 600-megawatt plant that would be bankrolled by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), Aboitiz Power and Taiwan Cogen Corp.

“[This is] our strongest opposition to the coal-fired power plant project,” said Lacbain.

In July, Meralco, Aboitiz and Taiwan Cogen signed a shareholder agreement in their bid to build the 600-MW coal-fired power plant in Sitio Naglatore in Subic town, which is inside Subic Bay Freeport.

Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, in an earlier press briefing, said the coal-fired power plant in Subic is critical in supplying the energy needs of the country.

He said officials “will have to be reasonable” or power plants would be built in economic zones without local government interference.

Lacbain, however, said the national government can’t ignore LGUs. “From the beginning we have been ignored,” he said.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chair Roberto Garcia said the increase in the plant’s capacity to 600 MW would require social acceptance.

“Also, we need to be assured of low electricity rates,” he said.

The board said Zambales officials weren’t consulted before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued an environmental compliance certificate to the project.

The board said this violated the Local Government Code of 1991 and other Philippine laws.

It also condemned, “in the strongest terms possible,” the eviction of families in Sitio Naglatore without “decent land and housing provision.”

It said this would “convert the affected families into informal settlers.”

Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay assailed the project, citing its impact on the environment.

She said she has been opposing the project even if it was started by the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her political ally.

“It doesn’t matter who is president, this is wrong. I thought that when President Aquino got into office, things will change. But it clearly has not,” she said.

She said she is also opposing the project because her constituents are against it. “They cannot just shove any project [down our throats],” she said.