Cebu City council junks coal plant project

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Through their collective efforts, Cebuanos won against the proposed coal-powered plant in Sawang Calero, Cebu City. 

Residents of Sawang and its neighboring barangay Pasil handed white flowers to members of the City council to celebrate the junking of Ludo Power Corporation’s 300 megawatts coal power plant project on Wednesday, April 27.

“Our demand for sustainable, clean energy has been heard,” wrote the Youth for a Livable Cebu organization on their Facebook page.

Several organizations and notable individuals fought with barangays Sawang Calero and Pasil. Here are a few:

• Cebu Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Environment (CASE)
• Freedom from Debt Coalition – Cebu 
• Philippine Movement for Climate Justice – Cebu 
• Sanlakas
• Greenpeace Southeast Asia 
•  Health Care Without Harm 
• Sustainable Energy and Enterprise Development for Communities (SEED4COM)
• Oceana
• Missionaries for the Poor 
• Dakila Artists Collective
• Cebuanos Against Coal
• Pusyon Kinaiyahan. 

Online petition vs coal plant

Sheida Henry, a concerned citizen, started an online petition to stop the construction of the coal-powered plant in Sawang Calero. The petition currently has about 1,500 supporters.

In the petition, Henry said that Ludo Power Corporation made a proposal without even consulting the residents of Sawang, and that they only knew of its existence through a public broadcast around the barangay and not through a community meeting.

 On April 6, several advocates gathered in front of the Cebu City hall to protest against the construction of the coal power plant. (READ: Residents protest proposed coal plant in Cebu City) 

“The effects of coal energy on the environment, health, economic well-being, and to all other aspects of welfare do not only concern the people of Sawang-Calero, Duljo-Fatima, and Pasil,” Henry said.

Coal-fired power plants, which spew greenhouse gases, remain the Philippine’s largest energy source at 29%, followed by oil at 23%.  Greenhouse gases are one of the primary culprits of climate change. – Rappler.com