DAVAO CITY(Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 29, 2012) – Environmental groups have criticized the continued power outages in the southern Philippines, saying it is a ploy by power distributors for the construction of more coal-fired power plants and other extractive energy projects like the Pulangi V Mega Dam.
“Black outs are not enough indicators of power crisis since these can be manipulated by power distributors. The energy crisis doom story has been recycled every time there is a need to justify the construction of more coal fired power plants and dams. This has already made a blockbuster, but we doubt if it will make another hit since the people won’t be bullied this time,” Dr. Jean Lindo, of the group called “NO TO COAL,” said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.
“Aside from the environmental destruction and the health risks wrought by coal plants, coal fired power plants’ main clients are foreign mining corporations which are voracious consumer of energy. Foreign mines in Mindanao take up a lot of our energy supply,” she added.
Lindo, who is also a member of the Kalikasan Party, said the energy industry in Mindanao has fallen into the hands of the corporate oligarchy, among these is Aboitiz Power Corporation which is one of the three major investors in power generation and distribution all over the country.
A few companies have absolute control over power rates and can pump up power rates without warrant, she said.
Lindo said the Aquino administration has insisted on the construction of coal plants throughout the country – in Isabela, Batangas, Manila, Quezon, Zambales, Davao del Sur, Saranggani and South Cotabato provinces.
This year, she said, saw the inauguration of power plants in Cebu and Iloilo and the government even granted tax holidays to companies investing on coal plants, such as the Japanese corporation called TeaM Energy in Pagbilao in Quezon province and Petron in Limay town in Bataan, and Therma South, Inc. of Aboitiz in Davao City.
Lindo said to verify statement of Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Jose Almendras that Mindanao needed 500 megawatts of non-hydro power resources, an independent energy audit is needed to disclose the genuine power situation of Mindanao.
Legislators and local government officials in Mindanao have all called for an independent and impartial investigation on the power shortages.
The group PANALIPDAN in Southern Mindanao blamed Aquino for the power crisis.
“Aquino has to end his abominable ignorance on the economic and environmental effects of coal plants, and mega dams. Coal plants and mega dams are deadly solutions. We have to go for sustainable energy sources,” said Francis Morales, the group’s secretary general.
While Aboitiz has argued the towering costs of maintaining hydropower plants due to its vulnerability to weather conditions, Morales countered that hydro-power plants have fallen into a state of disrepair due to premeditated government neglect.
“Siltation, due to degraded watersheds, is the main reason for the decreasing generation capacity of hydropower plants,” he said.
Watershed degradation occurs for various reasons including deforestation, overexploitation and overgrazing, primeval irrigation techniques, population growth and other natural causes.
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