MANILA, Philippines – The city government of Batangas has been asked to reject an application for the construction of a 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant in the area.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), a non-government organization, urged the city council to deny the application.
The FDC particularly asked Gerry de la Roca, chairman of the city council’s Land Use Committee, to lead the vote against the construction of two boiler units of the new coal plant.
Although the group did not identify the proponent of the project, records from the Department of Energy showed that a leading business conglomerate in the country is building a 600-MW coal-fired power plant in the city.
Major environmentalist groups have been opposing the project since last year.
The FDC said the coal-fired plant was the target of a campaign against coal energy and power plants held on May 4 in the city, and as part of the global campaign to break free from fossil fuels.
Along with other environmental groups, FDC has been describing the so-called clean coal pushed by coal developers as a “dirty lie.”
“It has been proven that coal-fired plants are detrimental to the environment and health. If the government is serious with its commitment to reduce by 70 percent the country’s carbon emissions by 2030, it should pressure local governments to reject any application to build new coal-fired power plants,” the group said.
It reminded the city council of its legal, social and moral duty to protect the rights of the people and the planet from destruction.
Editor's note: The original article reported that the government has committed to cutting carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2020 instead of 2030. This has since been corrected.