Climate advocates seek to stop government’s coal dependency

MANILA, Philippines — A group of environment and climate protection advocates is seeking an immediate stop to what it described as government’s dependency on the use of coal.

In Mendiola late last month, climate justice activists, green groups along with the coal-affected communities expressed their disgust over President Duterte’s alleged inaction and broken promises to implement better changes in the power sector industry in the country. 

Philippine Movement for Climate Justice national coordinator Ian Rivera said in a statement that the President must be held liable for all the horrors inflicted by coal operations on the people. 

“The change in the power sector is long overdue. The health and safety of the people will not wait for this government to finally take a stand,” Rivera said. 

The group has filed different complaints before several institutions including the compliance ombudsman advisor of the World Bank in Washington, Supreme Court, and the ombudsman against some commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission.

“Every day, people in the communities are being haunted by sickness and dangers to their security because of the operations of these coal plants. And now we are  here in front of Malacañang to voice out this government’s versions of horrors – their broken and unfulfilled promises for the people,” Rivera said.

 The group reiterated that coal dependence is a few steps backward. 

“Providers of cheaper and cleaner energy technologies are much more willing to operate  in our country.  However, the competition in the power sector is not fair for all especially for the renewable energy providers,” Center for Energy, Ecology and Development national convenor Gerry Arances said.

“If we do not shift away from coal now, we can expect an increased number of premature deaths each year, and this  government will provide a complete disservice not just to the current time but to the next generations,” Arances said.

The group also mentioned heightened actions in the coming days as the Supreme Court starts hearing the case against the Department of Energy and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the House resumes investigation on the ERC’s midnight transactions with some power generation companies.