Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
Bishop says Marcos left out climate crisis, destructive mining in 5th SONA
Philippines
National
Bishop says Marcos left out climate crisis, destructive mining in 5th SONA
Bishop says Marcos left out climate crisis, destructive mining in 5th SONA
By Jel Santos
Published Jul 30, 2026 05:38 pm
At A Glance
- According to Alminaza, the omission is difficult to accept, especially as Filipino families continue to shoulder some of the highest electricity costs in Southeast Asia while grappling with stronger storms, floods, droughts, and the loss of farms, fishing grounds, and livelihoods.
(BONGBONG MARCOS FACEBOOK PAGE/MB FILE PHOTO)
President Marcos’ fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) failed to mention the climate crisis, destructive mining, and communities threatened by the continued expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, a Roman Catholic bishop pointed out on Thursday, July 30.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spoke about electricity prices, petroleum service contracts, hydrogen projects, and nuclear energy. He did not address the climate crisis, destructive mining, or the communities threatened by the continued expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure,” San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, who also heads Caritas Philippines, said in a statement.
According to Alminaza, the omission is difficult to accept, especially as Filipino families continue to shoulder some of the highest electricity costs in Southeast Asia while grappling with stronger storms, floods, droughts, and the loss of farms, fishing grounds, and livelihoods.
“For millions of Filipinos, the environmental crisis is no longer merely ecological. It is economic, social, and deeply human,” he added.
The bishop, meanwhile, welcomed Marcos’ call to remove systems loss charges from electricity bills.
“Consumers should never have been made to pay for losses they did not cause,” Alminaza said.
“But this is a demand they have raised for decades. It cannot be presented as a sufficient response to the energy crisis.”
(MB FILE PHOTO)
He said the situation is further aggravated by high electricity generation costs and the country’s reliance on imported coal and gas.
“Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, these costs are passed on to consumers while power companies are shielded from fuel price increases and supply disruptions.”
Alminaza said any amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) should go beyond removing system loss charges.
He said the “entire policy and regulatory framework governing electricity needs to be overhauled.”
“After 25 years, the law has not delivered affordable and reliable power. It has increasingly treated electricity as a commodity for private profit rather than as an essential public service and a common good,” the bishop went on.
As such, Alminaza welcomed the Chief Executive’s support for expanding access to rooftop solar systems and battery storage.
(MB FILE PHOTO)
“The proposed Sariling Kuryente Act could help families and communities produce their own electricity, particularly during disasters and power interruptions,” he said.
“This is where public investment, regulatory reform and political leadership should be directed.”
However, Alminaza said the commitment would lose its meaning if the Marcos administration continues to promote polluting energy sources, expand fossil gas infrastructure, and pursue the revival of nuclear power.
“Fossil gas is not clean energy. More gas terminals and power plants will deepen dependence on imported fuel, expose consumers to unstable prices, and lock the country into decades of continued fossil fuel use,” he noted.
Alminaza said that nuclear power is not a practical solution to the country’s current electricity crisis, citing its high cost and concerns over safety, radioactive waste, public debt, and accountability.