Militant group hold protest against coal-fired power plant

Sanlakas members with black oil in their face and bodies gathered in front of DOE-7 office to urge the agency to stop LPC coal-fired power plant. (CDN PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MANINGO)

CEBU CITY–A militant group staged yet another rally to oppose the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Ludo Power Corp. (LPC) in Sawang-Calero, Cebu City on Friday noon.

Carrying placards to express their opposition to coal, about 30 members of Sanlakas, some of whom were smeared with black oil on their faces and bodies, gathered in front of the Department of Energy in Central Visayas (DOE-7) office to urge the agency to stop LPC coal-fired power plant.

“It is about time for us to get rid of coal as an alternative means of acquiring energy. We have to abandon that process and transition to renewable energy,” said Teody Navea, secretary-general of Sanlakas-Cebu.

He called on DOE-7 to listen to the appeal of residents living near LPC as well as the opposition from the Archdiocese of Cebu and Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
“I hope that whatever permits which LPC will ask from DOE will be disapproved,” Navea said.

DOE-7 Director Antonio Labios, in an interview, said putting up of power plants to provide additional power capacity is always welcomed by the government.

But he said power generation companies should comply with the necessary requirements to be able to operate.

Before putting up a power plant, Labios said power generation companies need to have a Certificate of Compliance from the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Companies, he said, must conform to all the environmental laws of the locality and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“There must be social acceptability. That is, the power plant is accepted by the community. Otherwise, if they are not approved by the people, then we could not force them to operate,” Labios said.

Mayor Osmeña earlier said that a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Barangay Sawang Calero was too much.

In April last year, the City Council rejected the proposal to build the coal-fired power plant plant for being harmful to the environment but the proponent, Ludo Power Corporation, revived the proposal in December.

Archbishop Palma also opposed the proposed coal-fired power plant, calling on people to seriously care for creation and to stop actions that would destroy the environment.