AN ENVIRONMENTAL policy expert is pushing for the country’s shift within the next 10 years to renewable energy sources, which are cheaper and environmentally-friendly.
Dr. Tony La Viña, who teaches environmental law in Ateneo Law School, proposes urgent measures to address effectively the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis.
“It’s cheaper but the environmental benefit is the most important, the climate benefit. We are contributing to our own destruction with coal power plants,” said La Viña.
In Baguio City, the city government is pursuing a waste-to-energy project on a government-to-government transaction with the Japanese government and the state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC).
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said he has clarified the matter with Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who explained the project should be implemented on a government-to-government transaction to fast-track the waste to energy facility and effectively address the city’s garbage disposal problem.
La Viña pointed out electricity prices can go down if these renewable energy sources, which include solar, wind and geothermal power, are cheaper than coal adding among these measures are reforming the energy system, and fixing the solid waste system and agriculture system which should be undertaken both at the national and local levels.
“We only have 10 years to try to fix the problem. If we don’t do that, we are going to face very bad climate impacts in the next 30 years. So hindi na sya (it is no longer) 100 years later. And we already experiencing some of that now,” he added.
The local government is eyeing the 3-hectare portion of the 8-hectare Baguio Dairy Farm, which was ceded to the city by the Department of Agriculture to host the alternative energy plant.
Magalong added there were several offers to the local government on how to realize the project, but the best option was the government-to-government transaction for the city to own the machinery which will be installed.
Baguio City generates more than 400 tons of assorted garbage daily while some 170 to 180 tons of residual waste are being hauled out of the city.