AS REELECTIONIST senator Cynthia Villar leads the senatorial race, Diocese of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza has expressed hopes that she is still capable of listening and learning.
Alminaza, along with other environment advocates, earlier slammed the number one senator for her remarks on the proposed coal-fired power plants in the province.
“Taking this situation as a given for now, we hope madam (Villar) is still capable of listening, of learning, so we can offer her our points of view and appeal to her as a good Catholic should she not listen to Pope Francis' message in Laudato Si,” he said.
The church top official in Negros Island added that “if she (Villar) and the rest of us won't listen now to the warnings and respond sooner or later, we will be forced to whether we like it or not either by nature or by the awakened citizenry.”
The senator, during her visit in Negros Occidental before the elections, said coal is attractive especially for poor countries like the Philippines because it is cheaper.
Villar, who chairs the Senate committee on Environment, said there is available technology on coal, it is allowed even in the United States.
“Maybe let us study these new technologies making coal as clean energy,” she said, adding that “if we can do it, the issue on coal will be less controversial.”
Environment groups and advocates, however, are not amenable to such pronouncement.
Alminaza, a staunch supporter of a coal-free Negros, earlier said Villar's declaration revealed her gross ignorance and incompetence as chairperson of the committee and her lack of foresight, vision and care for the environment.
Alminaza, along with three other bishops in Negros Island, already issued a collegial pastoral statement opposing coal.
The diocese and various environment groups including youth organizations in the province have organized activities like “no to coal” protests to oppose the reported plan of SMC Global Power Corp. to develop a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in San Carlos City.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. already issued Executive Order (EO) No. 19-08 Series of 2019, an order declaring the province as a source of clean and renewable energy.
Prior to issuance of the EO on March 6, as early as October 2018, Marañon proposed to the Provincial Board (PB) an ordinance declaring the entire Negros Occidental coal-free, clean energy, and environment-friendly province.
Though, the PB has yet to decide on the proposed renewable energy (RE) ordinance.
For newly-elected officials in the province, the bishop also hopes that they will keep Negros Occidental a coal-free and a model province of a 100 percent reliant on sustainable cheap renewable energy (RE).
“We hope that officials call for multi-sectoral consultation to address age-old problem of social inequality rooted in land issues,” he said, adding that “this is at the root too of our peace and insurgency problem.”
Meanwhile, the church leader asked how can the results of this elections be considered credible amid reports and personal observation of widespread vote-buying, harassment and cheating.
“Our task is just beginning. Poll results overall is a wakeup call and could turn out to be a blessing in disguise,” Alminaza added.