Advocates collect coal ash samples in Naga

CEBU, Philippines - An environmental group, a toxicologist, and environmental lawyers collected samples of coal waste from the coal-fired power plants of Korean Electric Power Corporation-Salcon Power Corporation in different land areas in Naga.

The Visayas Climate Action Network, a non-government organization, headed the sampling procedure.

The samples will be tested of mercury, arsenic, lead, chromium, and other toxic elements believed to cause neurological diseases, cancer, skin problems, and other respiratory ailments among the residents of Naga.

Dr. Romy Quijano, a professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, said that the samples will be taken to the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry for laboratory tests.

 “Coal is the dirtiest pollutant and is the worst kind of energy source,” he said.

Quijano added that as a toxicologist, there is no other way to prevent hazards to the health of the people than to “stop this plant from further operating”.

Environmental lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos said that their collaborative effort will bring litigation against Naga officials and the Province of Cebu.

She said that Local Government Units are just protecting their political agenda although they know that the operation of these plants lead to a more serious problem which is the health of their constituents. 

“Why are these government officials serving their own interest?” she expressed.

Lawyer Dante Ramos, for his part, believes that government officials involved in the implementation of the project will be sued for neglect of duty, violation of the Clean Air Act, and violation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Estenzo-Ramos said that laboratory results of the coal waste samples, together with all the pieces of evidence that they have, will be collated to form basis for their formal report to support their cause in preventing KEPCO-SPC from operating. — Marjun A. Baguio, UC intern/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)