#BreakFree2017: PH environmentalists kick off global action vs coal plants

MANILA, Philippines –  Coal-affected communities and civil society organizations will stage a lightning protest on Monday, March 13, in Pasig City to kick off a series of actions dubbed #BreakFree2017 to oppose the expansion of the fossil fuel industry in the country and the world. 

“Disaster survivors, frontline communities, indigenous peoples, farmers, youth, women, and civil society groups will unite against an industry that failed to respect and protect the right to a stable climate and healthy environment and to safeguard the inalienable rights to clean water, clean air, and safe food,” Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines said in a statement.

This marks the second year that Filipino advocates are leading the global wave of Break Free actions against fossil fuels following the “Piglas Pilipinas!” (Break free, Philippines) campaign in 2016. 

#breakfree2016 #PiglasPilipinas march highlights the campaign vs the proposed 600-megawatt coal plant in Batangas pic.twitter.com/zI9IDl2wVI

— Voltaire Tupaz (@VoltaireTupaz) May 3, 2016

Power shift

At the Power Shift Climate Action Summit in Albay on Saturday, March 11, Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Ben Muni and other advocates invited participants to join Break Free activities in Cebu, Tacloban, and Manila. (LIVE BLOG: #ClimateActionPH workshop at Power Shift PH summit)

Muni: After the issue of mining, coal and renewable energy will be next. #ClimateActionPH

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 11, 2017

Muni: All strategic areas where we need to win the campaign at the national level are in place. Big battle is coming next. #ClimateActionPH

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 11, 2017

Muni: Consider the context. How is something affecting your community? #ClimateActionPH

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 11, 2017

Muni on February 27 visited a community in Bataan province, where residents are complaining of health problems, including skin and respiratory diseases, that were allegedly caused by the coal-fired power plants in the area. They claimed that many of them fell ill following the alleged ash spill near the power facility in Barangay Lamao in Limay town in early January this year. (WATCH: #ClimateActionPH and Bataan’s battle vs coal)

.@gpph campaigner @ben_muni delivers message of support for Bataan residents who were kept from conducting a peaceful protest. #BreakFree pic.twitter.com/PsyJ1alJkY

— GreenpeacePH (@gpph) February 27, 2017

Meanwhile, Jasmine See of Pusyon Kinaiyahan shared how her group and other concerned citizens are opposing the revival of a proposed coal-fired power plant in Sawang Calero, Cebu City.

See is protesting the proposed 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Ludo Power Corporation (LPC). The city council recently endorsed the P27-billion project to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Central Visayas. (WATCH: #ClimateActionPH and Cebu’s battle vs coal)

#ClimateActionPH panelists: Rodne Galicha, Jasmine See of Pusyon Kinaiyahan, Mayan Quebral of Oscar Lopez Center, Dann Diez of Seed4Com pic.twitter.com/WOTxCNyhLe

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 11, 2017

See and Diez are inviting everyone to join the global #Breakfree campaign. #ClimateActionPH

— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) March 11, 2017

Coal-fired power plants remain the Philippine’s largest energy source at 29%. Coal is considered the cheapest source of energy, but it is also one of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, the culprit behind climate change. – Rappler.com