Church backs opposition to 2nd Sual power plant
SUAL—The town’s Catholic Church parish has thrown its support behind the Save Sual Movement by allowing the latter to launch its signature campaign opposing the construction of a second coal-fired power plant after the celebration of a Sunday Holy Mass last Oct 31.
Fr. Alfred Viernes, assistant parish priest at the St. Peter The Martyr Parish, allowed Rosanna Soriano, leader of Save Sual Movement, to address the parishioners aided by a slide presentation about their advocacy and why the people need to support it through a signature campaign.
A nun and an elderly sign the manifesto opposing the construction of another power plant in the town. (Tita Roces)
People queued at the Church’s entrance to sign the manifesto after hearing the Mass.
“It’s a lay movement, not the Church’s,” Viernes told The PUNCH. “The Church evaluated the movement and what it is fighting for and found it consistent with the doctrine of the Church,” he clarified.
Viernes added that the support of the parish to the movement is diocese-wide (Alaminos Diocese) and has the blessing of their bishop.
He added, they are open to dialogue with local officials about the project.
Soriano explained the that the movement’s main objective is to protect and conserve the environment, livelihood and health of the people against the destructive and abusive use of the town’s natural resources.
She narrated the sequence of events that led to decision of the local government to approve the construction of another power plant in Barangay Bacquioen this town with 900 megawatts (MW) capacity by the Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corporation, now known as Phinma Energy Corporation.
She said there is already a coal plant in the town, the biggest coal plant in the country, that’s been operating for 17 years under TeaM Energy located in Barangay Panagscasan.
She questioned the motives of the Sual government for allowing it at the expense of the people’s health and the town’s environment.
Soriano also pointed out that building coal plant is contrary to the advocacy of President Duterte and Environment Secretary Gina Lopez.
Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue earlier said the local government observed all legal processes for the second power plant construction here, including the conduct of at least six public hearings.
He belied the claims of the movement and stressed that no farmer will be affected even as he challenged the Save Sual Movement present alternatives, “instead of opposing it just for the sake of opposing”.
Arcinue added that the movement’s arguments detailing the ill effects on the fishing and farming of residents here are baseless.
“The people of Sual strongly recommended the 900-megawatts power plant because they see this project to bring further progress to Sual,” Arcinue said.
Arcinue said, “The Save Sual Movement members should start using reusable energy like solar panel to show their sincerity in their advocacy and not electricity sourced from coal power plant.” (Tita Roces)
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