Coal operations’ impact on people’s lives

In a recent thought-provoking OpEd piece, “Nationalist industrialization hurts the poor,” Dr. Bernardo M. Villegas, senior vice president of the University of Asia and the Pacific, posited that “the ones who practice irresponsible mining are Filipino small-scale miners, who operate in connivance with corrupt and greedy Filipino politicians.” While this may be partly accurate, my study just completed two days ago suggests that major coal-fueled plants in the country have adversely impacted our fellow citizens’ environment, health, livelihood, and life satisfaction.

Covering the coal plant communities of Masinloc, Zambales; Calaca, Batangas; Mariveles, Bataan  and La Paz district, Iloilo City, my face-to-face survey reflects the voices and thoughts of a random sample of 410 households (out of 3,000), resulting in a 99 percent accuracy/confidence level with a margin of error of +/- 6 points. 

With respect to the environment, an average of 92 percent of respondents felt that they enjoyed cleaner or fresher air before the coal plant’s establishment in their barangay. Sounder sleep, pre-coal plant, was reported by 89 percent of respondents. Furthermore, a sizeable 74 percent perceived that overall environmental quality deteriorated post-coal plant, while only 16 percent thought otherwise.

Health-wise, an average of 80 percent of interviewees believed that they had better health before the coal plant’s installation. Fewer illnesses, pre-coal plant, were indicated by 77 percent of the sample. The most frequently cited diseases were lung disease, asthma, primary complex, cough, colds, skin allergies, cardiovascular diseases, fever, infections, headache and diarrhea. The root cause of these diseases was the coal plant, according to 69 percent of the sample.

As to economic well-being, the average daily income of respondents from Calaca, La Paz, and Mariveles decreased with statistical significance from P199 pre-coal plant to P105 post-coal plant. Masinloc’s average daily income increased from P285 pre-coal plant to P623.00 post-coal plant. However, this apparent increase was merely a result of chance, thus not statistically significant. This finding implies that there was no change in average daily income. These findings were consistent with the sample’s perceptions showing that an average of 69 percent of respondents felt that their lives were more prosperous or more comfortable before the coal plant’s presence in their community.

Life satisfaction was likewise negatively impacted by the coal plant. An average of 70 percent of the sample declared that they were happier, pre-coal plant. Only 14 percent disagreed. Relatedly, 70 percent said that their quality of life was better pre-coal plant. Only 11 percent believed the opposite.

Questioned about the value or usefulness of coal plants to the community, 45 percent opined that these energy sources brought about more disadvantages or costs than benefits. A smaller 21 percent declared that coal plants were more beneficial than detrimental.

Asked about the future of the coal plants, 61 percent preferred a future without coal plants. Only 17 percent desired a future with coal plants. Along a similar vein, 57 percent said that if they had the power, they would shut down coal plants as soon as possible. Only 20 percent expressed support for continued operations.

In conclusion, it is my hope that decision-makers would consider concrete data before crafting and implementing environmental policies and laws. An integral part of this process is grassroots consultation. My research reveals that only 45 percent of households were consulted by government agencies regarding the installation of coal plants in their localities. Participatory democracy must be a way of life for our country to succeed in its difficult search for cleaner and greener renewable energy which benefit the common good.

Freddie R. Obligacion (The writer, an independent consultant and researcher, obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the Ohio State University, MBA (Honors Program) and BS Psych. from UP Diliman. E-mail: [email protected].)