Forum against coal set in San Carlos

IN ITS bid to gather support for a coal-free Negros Island, the Diocese of San Carlos is initiating a forum in the northern part of Negros Occidental City on Tuesday, November 20.

Dubbed as “People’s Eco and Energy Forum,” the activity will be held at the Benedictus Hall of the Bishop’s Home.

It will gather leaders and stakeholders in the city.

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, in a statement, said the forum aims to intensify the diocese’s information and education campaign against the establishment of a coal-power plant in the province.

“More significantly, we wanted to ensure that our rich environment in Negros Island will be protected, conserved, and preserved as part of our legacy and responsibility to the next generations,” he added.

The Diocese of San Carlos, especially Alminaza, has been vocal on its opposition against the entry of coal-fired power plants in the province.

In fact, they were recently recognized by The Climate Reality Project as one of the champions of environmental causes and movers of climate change mitigation in the country.

Alminaza earlier signed a position paper opposing the plan of San Miguel Global Power Holdings Inc. to put up a 300-megawatt coal plant in San Carlos.

In an interview during The Climate Reality Leadership Awards 2018 in Manila in November, he said the award came at a time when there is a need for wider public support for the collective stand to keep the whole Negros Island green, environment-friendly and coal-free.

“We appeal to the voters to do all they can to make all candidates know that it is our demand to keep the island coal-free and committed to respecting the vision and responsibility for the next generation,” the bishop added.

As this developed, the diocese claimed that on October 5, they learned about the approval issued last August 1 by the Department of Energy on the Grid Impact Survey application of San Miguel.

This prompted the diocese to immediately issue a pastoral statement denouncing any form of dirty energy in the area.

On October 12, the Diocesan Social Action Center met with representatives of Caritas Philippines, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, and Center for Environment and Energy Development to discuss the best ways to proceed with its ecological advocacy.

“One of the results is the conduct of the forum on November 20,” Alminaza said, adding that “there is a need to ensure that the environment and rich natural resources of Negros will be safeguarded while we are in pursuit of a sustainable development in our beloved island.”

Meanwhile, the Committee on Energy of the Provincial Board of Negros Occidental has yet to conduct a hearing on the proposed ordinance banning the operations of any coal-fired power plants in the province on November 21.

In Negros Oriental, the Provincial Board has already adopted Executive Order No. 9 preventing the entry of coal-fired power plants there.

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