Groups press for clean energy use
URBAN poor groups and the Sanlakas partylist group held a rally in front of the Department of Energy (DOE) regional office in Cebu to ventilate their demand for government to use renewable energy instead of coal in yesterday’s Earth Day observance.
“The government should use renewable energy instead of coal because it is sustainable. Coal use affects the health and livelihood of the people,” said Teody Navea, secretary general of the Sanlakas-Cebu.
The towns of Danao, Naga, Toledo, Pinamungajan and Argao in Cebu have either coal plants or have areas where extensive coal mining is a livelihood.
Navea said in Naga City where a coal plant is in operation, about 4,000 to 5,000 people are reported to be suffering from respiratory diseases.
Alex Lavistre, president of the KPMC–Urban Poor Organization said while urban poor dwellers are blamed for the flooding and the pollution in rivers, coal plants are major polluters who contaminate both air and the sea with their discharges.
Ed Amante, energy resource development chief of DOE–Cebu, said the rallyists should convince the investors to switch from coal mining to renewable resources like water, solar, wind and biomass energy.
He said investors engage in coal mining because it costs less, can be processed easily and ensures a bigger profit. Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag
Fishers, tropical fish seized in Lapu
SEVEN men were apprehended while 300 tropical fish were seized by the Task Force Kalikasan team at the Maribago public beach in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday noon.
Arrested were Jose Pañares, Wilson Coral, 50, Dante Revera, 34, Jaime Tradio, 40 and Lito Lodoma, 42, all residents of Barangay Sabang and their companions Celso Pongcol, 31 and Pedro Eyas, 40.
They were detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office detention cell pending the filing of charges against them.
The apprehension and seizure of fishes occurred during a cleanup at the Maribago public beach.
The tropical fish were packed in plastic. The fishermen failed to present pertinent documents such as fishing permit thereby violating city ordinance 312-A-2006.
Andy Berame, TFK Lapu-Lapu City representative said the fish were estimated to be worth P5,000.
The four pieces of fish nets measuring about 3 meters each and one pumpboat were at police custody. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza
