Environmental activists launch nationwide campaign against mining and coal fired power plants

                                       
                                  By Jun Enriquez

Iligan City (June 29, 2016) - Environmental activists Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMJC) spearheaded the nationwide campaign together with other activists civil society groups for the protection of the environment against irresponsible mining and other destruction arising from the massive pollution that will destroy the precious environment. The group of environmental activists favored and supported the appointment of the then incoming Secretary and now the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Ms. Gina Lopez of the ABS-CBN Foundation.

The newly elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Ms. Lopez for the position as DENR Secretary. Lopez was never spared in bullying from the big mining operators especially from the alleged mining magnate Manny Pangilinan.

Ms. Inday Gonzales, spokesperson from PMCJ said that the nationwide campaign is for the Filipino people. She said that Ms. Lopez is an environmentalist and sincere in her campaign for environmental protection. Ms. Lopez was one spearheaded the rehabilitation of the Pasig river, an environmental flagship project called “piso-piso para sa Pasig river”  to become productive and served as the alternative route using passengers’ boat for the commuters to evade heavy traffic in land transportation in Metro Manila. Gonzales said that the campaign will include the stop of the construction of the monstrous coal fired power plants in the country. Gonzales said that Ms. Lopez will not afraid of the bullying from the mining operators because the people supports her appointments. 

There are ongoing constructions of coal fired power plants in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte with generating capacity of 540 megawatts (MW), 300 MW in Ozamiz City and 20 MW in iligan City that potentially cause massive damage in the Iligan bay and panguil bay including air land and other bodies of water in the Lanao region, Misamis Occidental and nearby places. All these ongoing construction of coal fired power plants have no proper consultations with the people and it was believed that environmental impact studies are bogus to support the issuance of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC). The people in Kauswagan were complaining of deception, conspiracy and manipulation in constructing the coal plant because at first the people were consulted that solar power will be constructed in their place but later on it was a coal fired power plant. 

Just recently the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Lanao del Norte has conducted a final public hearing on June 26, 2016 in Libertad, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte for the Provincial Ordinance Banning the construction of coal fired power plant in the province. Board member Atty. Usop Omar, the author of the draft ordinance No. 002 series of 2016, together with Board members Casimero Bagol and  Jack Maruhom said that the ongoing construction of the GN Power Kauswagan (GNPK) will take their own risk against the ordinance if approved. Omar said that the GNPK have not seek clearance from the provincial government especially in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for the construction of the coal fired power plant. Omar said that the Mayors in nearby municipalities complaint on the construction of the GNPK because they have not been consulted but in general the said coal plant will bring destruction to humanity in the province of Lanao del Norte and nearby places due to the pollution of many substances such mercury, lead, nickel, sulfur, carbon dioxides and other gaseous forms which are carcinogenic, a cancer causing substances.  

Other groups participated the nationwide campaign are the freedom from debt Coalition (FDC), Power Alternative Agenda in Mindanao (PALAG), Balay Integrated Rehabilitation for Total Human Developemnt (BIRTHDEV), Iligan Sendong-survivors Movement (ISM), Lanao Alliance for Human Rights Advocates, Civil Society Organization Forum for Peace (CSO-FP), Ranaw Women and Children Rahabilitation Center (RWCRC),  Ranao Disaster Response and rehabilitation Action Center (RDRRAC),  ECOWEB, Kapamagogopa, Inc (KI), the Youth, Women and other sectors. with reports by Teresita Dalman & photo by Jack Macatimbol.