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Proposed municipal ordinance in Quezon bans new power plants

Philippines

Proposed municipal ordinance in Quezon bans new power plants

By Danny Estacio

PAGBILAO, Quezon – A proposed ordinance banning the construction of new power plants using coal or diesel in this town was presented in a public hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 16.

PHOTO courtesy of Jay Lim's FB shows the proposed ordinance being discussed by the Pagbilao municipal council.

The municipal ordinance authored by Councilor Manuel Luna, chairman of the environmental protection committee, was supported by the Quezon for Environment headed by Fr. Warren Puno, director of the Diocese of Lucena Ecology Desk.

Luna said the ordinance is the municipality’s contribution to the country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement against climate change caused by the use of coal and fossil fuels for energy.

The ordinance was based on a moratorium order issued by then Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Oct. 27, 2020 prohibiting the construction of new coal-fired power plants in the country to expand the use of renewable energy for environmental and reliability purposes.

However, Vice Mayor and municipal council presiding officer Sherrie Ann Palicpic suggested finding a more solid legal basis for the ordinance instead of the unnumbered moratorium order to preserve the efforts of the Sangguniang Bayan.

The ordinance will not cover existing power plants here like Pagbilao Team Corp., the Luzon Therma Inc. and its programs on development and extension, and future operation of Energy World-Liquid Natural Gas.

Cusi's moratorium was adopted by the Marcos administration.

Related Tags

quezon pagbilao Coal power plant ordinance environment Climate change

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