RESIDENTS OUT TO BLOCK COAL PLANT

Nearly 100 residents of Barangays Sawang Calero, Suba and Pasil in Cebu City and other supporters rally against the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Ludo Power Corp. (LPC) yesterday.

Anti-coal plant groups, along with the residents who opposed the project, gathered in front of the old plant of LPC in Sawang Calero, with “no to coal” placards in their hands, showing their opposition to the project.

Some groups, namely, Akbayan Youth, Alliance of S.I.R. Beneficiaries, Environmental Legal Assistance Center, Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors, Freedom from Debt Coalition-Cebu, Kaabag sa Sugbo Foundation, Pagtambayayong Foundation, Philippine Earth Justice Center, Philippine Movement for Climate Weather, Pusyon Kinaiyahan, Urban Poor Alliance of Cebu and Missionaries of the Poor (MOP) also issued a joint statement against the construction of the plant.

In the statement, the groups said that they are against the project because coal is dirty, costly and deadly.

“While sold cheaply, the impact of coal and other fossil fuel on our health and the environ- ment, on our agriculture and marine life comes with an expensive price. Who pays for the damages? It is us, the common tao (people),” they said.

The groups added that coal also kills the environment and the people.

Instead of building more coalfired power plants, the group said the government should invest on renewable energy.

Fr. Rowell Gumalay, Mission Superior of MOP who is among those who opposed the proposed project, said that plant will prevent the children from having good future.

MOP runs the Little Lamb Center in Sawang Calero, which houses children with special ailments. It is located near the project site,

The protest came after the City Council approved the endorsement of the P27-billion worth coal-fired power plant project to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 during their session last Tuesday.

Nelson Yuvallos of LPC said they welcomed the stand of the opposition, saying that it will help them become more vigilant in dealing with the project.

“We are very serious in following the rules and the guidance of DENR. We are reminded that we should be watchful on this to avoid the harm it will cause to the environment and the people,” Yuvallos told SunStar Cebu in a statement.

He reiterated that the LPC is willing to work with them and to discuss their concerns.

We are very serious in following the rules and the guidance of DENR. We are reminded that we should be watchful on this to avoid the harm it will cause to the environment and the people NELSON YUVALLOS LPC community relations officer