Philippines: Opposition to new coal-fired power plant in Sual mounts

Philippines: Opposition to new coal-fired power plant in Sual mounts

Opposition to the construction of a new 900-megawatt coal-fired power plant
in Sual town by the Save Sual Movement (SSM) is building up, according to
Alex Rigonan, former vice mayor of Sual town.

Rigonan accused Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue of allegedly stiffling opposition
in the town by berating high school students from joining protest actions
against the putting up of a new coal-fired power plant in the town.

He said the mayor got angry when students of the Sual National High School
joined the protest movement and are now harassing them.

"What's wrong with voicing one's opinion for better environment in the
town?" Rigonan asked. "The high school students are only after their future
and the future of the next generations of people in Sual," Regonan said.

Rigonan told newsmen in Lingayen that Arcinue summoned the principal of the
school and reprimanded her for allowing students to join the mass action
against the establishment of the new coal-fired power plant and allegedly
directed her to call parents to her Office to advise their sons and
daughters from joining rallies against the new coal-fired plants.

He said if an oppositor has a relative employed in the municipal government,
the latter is advised to withdraw his opposition, otherwise his kin employed
with the town government will be removed.

THe former town vice mayor said the SSM is now getting stronger everyday
with the support of all sectors, including the various religious
organizations.

He said the movement has so far solicited signatures from some 1,000
residents who are directly opposing the construction of a new coal-fired
power plant as Sual is already hosting the 1,218-megawatt Sual Coal-fired
Power Plant being operated by Team Energy.

The signatories, said Rigonan, maintained that a second coal-fired power
plant in Sual is already too much and will aggravate the pollution of the
environment in the town.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.energycentral.com/news/opposition-new-coal-fired-power-plant-sual
-mounts?did=39208006&utm_source=2016_11_20&utm_medium=eNL&utm_content=71965&
utm_campaign=DAILY_NEWS

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com