Reprise: Email Regarding the Redondo Coal-Fired Power Plant

Two weeks ago, on August 15, I sent to Subic Chamber members an email clarifying the issues surrounding the Redondo Coal-Fired Power Plant.

Boy, was I stunned with the flak I got from certain groups and individuals. Newspapers, blogs, social networks, emails, phone calls—you name it. Some from genuine environment warriors, who I have the highest admiration; some from self-proclaimed Johnny-come-lately “environmentalists;” yet some more are simply from opportunists who saw an opening for personal gain.

Some understood where I am coming from, some did not. Some used logic and reason to assert their case or provide advice; some just opened their mouths and thought whatever comes out is enough argument—which, at best, only proved a quote from good ol’ Abe Lincoln, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

Those who know me never doubted the intentions. Although pale in comparison to environment warriors, I have done and been doing my part as best I could. Taking modesty aside for a second, how many companies have their own composting bins? Mine has. How many have actually rallied neighborhood kids on quiet Sunday mornings to clean up dirty canals in the city? I did. Who’s present in almost all eco forums and summits in this area? I was. How many have actually tried to look for and preserve heritage trees inside the Freeport? I did. I was born and grew up here. I love this place—very dearly; more than most.

So what was the fuss about? Well, mostly from newspapers or online stuff (ain’t it always) mentioning words like surrender, war, and battle, among others. Ironically, these words were never even mentioned in my email to Chamber members.

But what was the email about anyway? My apologies if it wasn’t clear enough to some.

The gist of it all is that the Subic Chamber has fought the coal-fired power plant tooth and nail since 2006. WE LOST.

One newspaper report said, “War on Subic coal plant losing battle, says trade group head.” One person wrote, “Can we know if the Chamber is still in surrender mode or is prepared to rejoin its members on the battlefield?”

Let me enumerate the facts:

1. The previous Arroyo administration had already approved the coal-fired power plant;
2. the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in 2008, had already issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC);
3. the current Department of Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said the Philippines will continue to use coal “until such time that the renewables cost will come down to grid parity and where we can substitute renewable versus the traditional;”
4. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda had said that Malacañang will not stop the operations of the country’s coal-fired power plants amid protests from various sectors;
5. President Aquino already gave his blessing to the project as he had given his blessing to the same project recently inaugurated in Cebu where he said, “While the power plant we are inaugurating today does not necessarily produce renewable energy, it does comply with the Clean Air Act;”
6. finally, the work on the Redondo coal-fired power plant site has already been on-going since five months ago and the first phase expected to be completed by 2013 while the second phase and full project completion around 2015.

What surrender? What war? What battlefield? It was already a done deal. We already lost. While the Chamber won many issues in the past, we also lost some. We are like the proverbial bamboo that bends but is stronger than the oak that topples from strong winds.

In any case, the Subic Chamber does not, and will not, prohibit anybody in continuing to fight against the coal-fired power plant. We respect everybody’s opinions as much as we want respect on ours.

If it’s any consolation, the issue has awakened more people on the importance of preserving the environment. [Now, if we can only have the same vigor and enthusiasm in fighting the incessant gushing of sewage from surrounding communities into the bay, we would be made. Another Water Summit, anyone?]

Anyway, the Subic Chamber has to move on.

Strategy dictates that we have to make sure that the visual impact of the power plant to tourism is minimized. Strategy dictates that we have to lobby to be part of the Multi-partite Monitoring Team (MMT) to ascertain that the plant will actually, and continuously, comply with the law—the Philippine Clean Air Act.

These pragmatic and strategic actions the Subic Chamber cannot officially do and pursue if we will indefinitely continue to try to repudiate what was already approved by the national government.