Batangas City Council okays coal-fired power plant

BATANGAS CITY, Batangas — The operation of a coal-fired power plant in the city has been approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP or City Council) in a special session last Thursday and has been endorsed for zoning clearance in Barangay Pinamucan Ibaba.

With a vote of six in favor; two against; and two abstain, the resolution for the approval of the power plant in a resolution raised by Councilor Gerry Dela Roca, chairman of the Committee on Environment Urban Development Land Use and Zoning, was approved.

The resolution has been endorsed by the Batangas City Council to the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) to secure a zoning clearance for the construction of the power plant.

Councilor Nestor “Boy” Dimacuha who voted against the coal-fired power plant, however, questioned the approval of the resolution on a special session that was convened for the purpose of approving the city’s supplemental budget for the release of employees’ Christmas bonuses.

“This is a very serious subject and the public should have been invited nang sa ganun malaman nila bakit kinakailangang mag-renew ng locational clearance ang coal project ng JG Summit (so that they could be made aware about the need for the locational clearance of the coal project of JG Summit),” Dimacuha said.

Voting “yes” to the resolution were Councilors Oliver Macatangay, Sergie Atienza, Armando Lazarte, Julian Villena, Dela Roca and Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) President Dondon Dimacuha.

While Councilors Boy Dimacuha and Aileen Montalbo casted a “no” vote. Councilors Karlo Buted and Glenn Aldover abstained from voting. Councilors Allysa Cruz-Atienza, Hamilton Blanco and Nelson Chavez were not present during the special session.