OLONGAPO CITY—More than 2,000 residents, local officials and members of nongovernment organizations braved heavy rains on Monday to protest the planned construction of a coal-fired power plant inside the Subic Bay Freeport.
The protesters gathered at Rizal Triangle here and appealed to President Aquino to stop the construction of the 600-megawatt plant owned by a consortium of energy firms led by Aboitiz Power, Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and Taiwan Cogen Corp.
They cited the environmental impact of the project on surrounding communities in Olongapo and Zambales and the lack of proper consultation for their opposition to the construction of the power plant.
Speaking before the group marched to the gates of the free port, Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said the only positive thing about the project was that it erased political lines in the province.
“For the first time, we are on the same stage [fighting for the same cause]. When it comes to the welfare of [our constituents], politics cannot intrude,” she said.
“President Aquino should heed the call of these communities because these are the people who will be affected by the [operation of the] coal-fired power plant,” she said.
Among the officials who joined the protest action were Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. and other city officials, Zambales Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain II and Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello. Representatives of free port locators and students also joined the protest.
Bello said, “There are no pluses to a coal plant, it’s all a minus.”
“We can’t understand why the number of coal plants is increasing in the country. Our policy should be to avoid coal plants and move in the direction of renewable energy,” he said.
Bello said the party-list group Akbayan has filed a resolution in the House of Representatives asking for an investigation of how Aboitiz was given an environmental clearance certificate (ECC).
He said the issuance of an ECC to RP Energy, the corporate vehicle of the energy firms, “was very nontransparent.”
“There was no consultation. According to the rules, there should be consultation. That’s what we’re trying to investigate, especially given the strong opposition here,” he said.
Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras earlier endorsed the project, saying it was essential to boost the Luzon grid.
Almendras asked local governments to be reasonable or else the government would build such projects inside economic zones to prevent interference.
Gordon said the project proponents should look for an alternative location.
“We don’t accept it here,” he said.
Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. urged officials to give the project a second look and conduct an “honest to goodness consultation.” Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon