Puerto Princesa joins protest vs coal power plant

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—The city government of Puerto Princesa has added its voice to the growing public clamor to stop a planned coal-fired power plant in the province of Palawan that is awaiting clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The city government was set to release recently a resolution backed by its opposition-dominated council and signed on June 15 by Mayor Lucilo Bayron, who had previously supported the coal power plant project.

While Bayron, who is also a member of the regulatory agency Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), earlier voted to grant a Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance to the project proponent, the Consunji group’s DMCI Powers Inc., he made a turnaround and decided to oppose it.

A copy of the final resolution obtained by the Inquirer blasted the PCSD decision on March 28 to grant the SEP clearance to the coal plant project.

Its principal author, Councilor Vicky de Guzman, said she was “surprised and pleased” by Bayron’s turnaround.