BECAUSE he only thinks that when majority of the people of San Carlos City approves the coal plant in their city so be it, give it to them.
Oh my .. Bong Lacson is like seeing the sky through a microscope, when all his life before this issue has been one of the respectable, principled, broad minded, firm yet cool leader and politician.
Really, I couldn’t believe that a guy as magnanimous and visionary as Bong Lacson could utter such myopic view on the nature and impact of coal fired power plant. Or maybe I have just given him a great value when he is not worth it after all.
With due respect, Bong Lacson is no longer the mayor of the city. And if he still is, he would have contradicted his staunch advocacy for renewable energy, like the pioneering of the solar power plant in the city, the construction of the first ever bioethanol plant which produces clean fuel, the protection of the mangroves in the city and district, and caused the move to make San Carlos a non-smoking city.
All this inspired other local chief executives and business community in Negros to install the same.
On July 1 he will sit as the new governor of the province of Negros Occidental. He will have a bigger challenge and responsibility.
As his inaugural show of goodwill, he can give a commitment to look into the proposed coal power plant in San Carlos City. Instead of obviously giving undue advantage to the project proponent, project site owner and their supporters in the city, he should facilitate public hearings in the city, district and province involving as many citizens and green experts as possible, not just politicians and businessmen, because the plant is an issue of all Negrosanon and the country, not just the citizens of San Carlos.
If Bong Lacson thinks I am biased for those who oppose the coal plant, I am not. I am simply reminding Bong that good local governance is listening to the citizens including those with opposing ideas in formal and non-formal avenues.
Shooting them down through counter propaganda, dismissing the opposition as politicizing the issues, or cutting their tongue by sheer arrogance, is an insult to the exhortation of this administration, particularly the DILG, that for local government units (LGUs) to be truly committed to transparency, responsiveness and accountability. They should listen to the citizenry and even encourage them in the decision making process.
That is good governance and citizen’s involvement in the affairs of the LGUs are provided and guaranteed under the Local Government Code despite its limitations and other recent Memorandum Circulars of DILG Secretary Ano.
I likewise encourage former Governor Freddie Marañon to stand by the opposition as it was his order declaring Negros Occidental as coal-free that inspired them and many other groups to reject the proposed coal plant in San Carlos.
If I may add, the vice governor-elect Jeffrey Ferrer must also take up the cudgel for the opposition not for earning political credit and leverage but because he himself is an advocate of renewable energy in his district.
Again, it is my unsolicited advise for Gov. Bong Lacson to refrain from making biased and myopic positions that will fan the anger of the opposition because they have the capacity to muster broad opposition and support from local to national, as they did in their fight against PNOC-EDC’s geothermal power plant in Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park.
Least you forget, they are once your ally in your critical position against PNOC-EDC. Don’t burn bridges, Sir Bong, not with people who have stood by your advocacy for years, and will fight and die for the citizens’ and nature’s interest.
Business, and even your clan and fellow politicians, will be of no value when nature will take its revenge against those who caused its destruction and plunder.
I hope and pray you keep your beautiful mind and good health.