Drive vs. coal for Bohol power intensifies

TAGBILARAN CITY — The campaign against the establishment of coal-fired power plants in Bohol has been gaining headway.

According to Clean Energy Advocates (CEA), consisting of non-government organizations, religious and academe groups, the plan of the provincial government in putting up coal-fired power plants is being opposed on environmental, health and cost grounds.

The CEA, in intensifying its campaign against this move, has meet separately Bishop Patrick Daniel Parcon of the Diocese of Talibon and Bishop Albert Uy, Diocese of Tagbilaran, and had organized the Bohol’s Forum on Coal Question, with the issuance of a manifesto opposing coal use in the future.

It was reported that Bishop Uy had expressed his stand against coal-powered plants, saying that it might contradict with the vision and mission of the provincial government.

Bohol has envisioned to be “a prime eco-cultural tourism destination and a strong balanced agro-industrial province, with a welleducated, God-loving and law-abiding citizenry, proud of their cultural heritage, enjoying a state of well-being and committed to sound environment management.”

Its mission is “to enrich Bohol’s social, economic, cultural, political and environmental resources through goof governance and effective partnerships with stakeholders for increase global competitiveness.” And among its goals to this end is environmental protection and management.

Emmie Roslinda of PROCESS (Participatory Research, Organization of Communities and Education towards Struggle for Self-Reliance) in Bohol, one of the convenors of the CEA, said that even the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) had supported the group’s advocacy, citing potential dire effects of coal.

CEA, through PROCESS-Bohol Inc., sent its manifesto to the Provincial Board, thru acting Vice Governor Benjie Arcamo, to give attention to its campaign: No to coal use. It also asserted that studies showed that coal, besides being expensive, has fatal impact on Bohol’s environment.

“Coal kills the environment and people. A recent study commissioned by Greenpeace to Harvard University revealed that both existing and proposed coal power plants in the Philippines can cause up to 2,400 deaths annually. These deaths do not only mean avoidable and unnecessary PhilHealth or local government spending or lost labor productivity but the number also represents young lives that will not be able to reach their full potential,” said the manifesto, signed by hundreds of supporters.

The group had urged the PB and the Tagbilaran City Council to recognize the negative impact of coal-fired power plant and the need to shift to renewable energy sources instead. It also asked the legislative councils to pass resolutions supporting calls for “a moratorium on the putting up of carbon-intensive and fossilbased technologies.”

Coal, which is abundant and inexpensive, is responsible for carbon dioxide emission (45 percent) worldwide and some 72 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector, according to Noelyn Dano in the CEA presentation during the forum.

Burning of coal would produce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other substances that result to acid rain, illnesses such respiratory or lung related to smog or haze and carbon dioxide, she added.