Quezon City – During the switch-on celebrations for the opening of a coal-fired power plant in Mauban, Quezon on October 16, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte referred to the coal plant as “clean” and called on investors to invest in more such facilities.
National Day of Action Against Coal 2019
Greenpeace campaigner Khevin Yu said:
“Greenpeace strongly denounces the Philippine government’s backward pro-coal policies. Coal is not clean, not cheap, and not sustainable. It is unfortunate that another coal plant has been inaugurated in the country, by no less than the President who seems to have been misled or misinformed by the coal industry and its ridiculous myth of ‘clean coal.’
“Coal has long been recognized as the dirtiest and most carbon intensive form of fuel for energy generation. In many parts of the world, countries are closing down and have stopped building coal plants, while investors are also pulling out or have enacted policies against coal financing. It is also not the cheapest because we import majority of our coal from other countries and other energy sources are now much cheaper, such as solar energy.
“Investing in coal is investing in the climate crisis that is already impacting the lives and livelihoods of millions of Filipinos and costing the Filipino taxpayers billions every year.
“There was a clear directive from the President during the 2019 SONA to harness renewable energy. We call on the department of energy and private energy companies to stop investing in coal, enact a moratorium on all planned coal projects, and enable an immediate energy transition towards clean and cheap renewable energy.”
Renewable energy is the key to our country’s energy independence. But coal companies and politicians are holding us back.