CoRe, PMCJ: ‘The Climate Walk is just the beginning’

CoRe, PMCJ: ‘The Climate Walk is just the beginning’

ILIGAN CITY - Graced by different local and national media outlets, the Coal Resistance Movement together with the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice formally ended the 92-kilometer climate walk through a Press Conference held on July 25 at Iligan city.

With representatives coming from different participating organizations composing the Coal Resistance Movement and the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice-Western Mindanao, each spoke in front of the media to express their vehement opposition against the surge of coal projects throughout the country especially in Mindanao.

“Not all legal is moral”, says Atty. Jennifer Ramos, counsel representative of Ozamiz-based NGO Gitib, as she questions the moral implications of the approval of coal-fired power plants by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

No PH Law that prohibits coal plants

The Environmental Management Bureau Region 10, national authority responsible for pollution prevention and control, and environmental impact assessment, already stressed during a previous interview that there is no law in the Philippines that prohibits coal-powered projects.

“As long as the investors meet the standards and requirements then I have no reason to deny their application”, says Region X EMB Director Sabdullah Abubacar 

Director Abubacar is also the chairman of the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) of the 540 MW coal plant in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte owned by Ayala-affiliated GNPower Ltd. Corporation that oversees the compliance and the conditions set by the Environmental Compliance Certificate.

Series of Campaigns

“The climate walk is just the beginning of a series of massive campaigns that the Coal Resistance Movement and the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice will put up to show the growing consciousness of people in terms of climate issues”, says CoRe Movement representative Mark Mandar.

During the press conference, the ‘1-Million Signature Campaign’ was also launched headed by Atty. Aaron Pedrosa of the Energy Group of PMCJ-Western Mindanao.

Last ‘whistle stop’

Last July 24, the 300 climate walkers, armed only with banners and facemasks that says 'Coal Kills', dramatized their opposition of coal-fired power plants in front of the French-owned LaFarge Cement where another 20 MW coal-fired power project will be built by the same company.

The protest in Kiwalan marked the end of the 92-kilometer climate walk and coal resistance march which lasted seven (7) days starting in Lala, Lanao del Norte on July 19.

Prior to the LaFarge protest the walkers also staged their opposition at the Iligan City Hall on the same day where members of the city executive and legislative received the demand letters of the walkers containing their vehement opposition against the proliferation of coal-fired power plants throughout the country especially in Northern Mindanao.

Currently, Northern Mindanao has three coal plants underway: the 300 MW coal plant in Ozamiz city by Ozamiz Power Generation Incorporated; the 20 MW coal plant in Kiwalan, Iligan city by LaFarge Cement and; the 540 MW coal plant in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, the biggest in Mindanao set to be fully operational by 2017.