Political rivals unite vs coal plant

August 31, 2011
OLONGAPO City (Updated 3:11 p.m.) — Two political rivals in Zambales province are one in protesting the proposed 600-megawatt coal-fired plant in Redondo Peninsula inside Subic Bay Freeport.
It is the first time that Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. and Representative Mitos Magsaysay (1st District, Pampanga) agreed on an issue and stepped on the same stage.
The two clans have been political rivals in the province for decades.
The protest action was attended by more than 2,000 residents, non-government organizations, people’s organizations and different organizations in the province.
“There should be no politics in this issue we should stand together since we only have one goal, that is to protect the health of our people in Zambales,” Magsaysay said.
Magsaysay said she and her constituents did not give any approval for the project.
She said she will investigate the issue in Congress, adding “the people of the province have spoken and as their representative will follow my people.”
Governor Hermogenes Ebdane also disagreed with the power plant.
Zambales Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain said that aside from health hazard posed by the planned coal plant, the promise of power rates going down is not true.
“We have proven that the plant in Masinloc Zambales did not attract further investments in the province, it did not lower the power rate in the province either,” Lacbain said.
He explained that one coal plant is enough for the province.
The Provincial Government of Zambales headed by Lacbain recently passed a resolution expressing their disapproval for the coal plant.
“The government of Zambales, town of Subic, City of Olongapo and the residents of the province is all in protest against this power plant but the plant was still given an ECC (environmental compliance certificate),” Lacbain said.
“We also ask Congress to investigate why the coal plant was given an ECC despite all of this protest,” he added.
Magsaysay also said, “The Department of Energy and the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) did not consult us (province of Zambales) about this coal plant.”
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Zambales chapter has also issued a statement against the coal plant.
Christopher Monato, president of IBP-Zambales, said they called for the revocation of the ECC issued by the DENR for the said coal plant.
“This is to safeguard the rights, interest and health of the people of Olongapo City and Zambales,” he added. (Anthony Bayarong of Sun.Star Pampanga)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2011/08/30/political-rivals-unite-vs-coal-plant-176254

August 31, 2011
OLONGAPO City (Updated 3:11 p.m.) — Two political rivals in Zambales province are one in protesting the proposed 600-megawatt coal-fired plant in Redondo Peninsula inside Subic Bay Freeport.
It is the first time that Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon Jr. and Representative Mitos Magsaysay (1st District, Pampanga) agreed on an issue and stepped on the same stage.
The two clans have been political rivals in the province for decades.
The protest action was attended by more than 2,000 residents, non-government organizations, people’s organizations and different organizations in the province.
“There should be no politics in this issue we should stand together since we only have one goal, that is to protect the health of our people in Zambales,” Magsaysay said.
Magsaysay said she and her constituents did not give any approval for the project.
She said she will investigate the issue in Congress, adding “the people of the province have spoken and as their representative will follow my people.”
Governor Hermogenes Ebdane also disagreed with the power plant.
Zambales Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain said that aside from health hazard posed by the planned coal plant, the promise of power rates going down is not true.
“We have proven that the plant in Masinloc Zambales did not attract further investments in the province, it did not lower the power rate in the province either,” Lacbain said.
He explained that one coal plant is enough for the province.
The Provincial Government of Zambales headed by Lacbain recently passed a resolution expressing their disapproval for the coal plant.
“The government of Zambales, town of Subic, City of Olongapo and the residents of the province is all in protest against this power plant but the plant was still given an ECC (environmental compliance certificate),” Lacbain said.
“We also ask Congress to investigate why the coal plant was given an ECC despite all of this protest,” he added.
Magsaysay also said, “The Department of Energy and the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) did not consult us (province of Zambales) about this coal plant.”
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Zambales chapter has also issued a statement against the coal plant.
Christopher Monato, president of IBP-Zambales, said they called for the revocation of the ECC issued by the DENR for the said coal plant.
“This is to safeguard the rights, interest and health of the people of Olongapo City and Zambales,” he added. (Anthony Bayarong of Sun.Star Pampanga)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2011/08/30/political-rivals-unite-vs-coal-plant-176254