NGO seeks development of renewable energy sources

Amid the recent spate of increases in the prices of petroleum products in the country, Cebu Alliance for Renewable Energy called on the government officials to prioritize the development of renewable energy sources, especially in Cebu.

CARE said that also with the upcoming increase in electricity rates, there is enough reason to curb the people's reliance on imported fossil fuel based products such as petroleum and coal.

It said that aside from being expensive to the economy, health, climate and environment, fossil-based fuel is also "dirty, no matter how much the proponents and apologists of coal claim otherwise."

Cebu alone has the hydro power in Argao and Ginatilan, wind power in Carmen and Oslob, biomass in Bogo, and solar power in Panga-an Island, Lapu-Lapu City.

"This is contrary to claims of polluting power firms that Cebu doesn't have renewable energy capacity. There are more options aside from accommodating coal-fired power plants," said Vince Cinches, CARE-Cebu acting coordinator.

Aside from that, he said his group is also calling on the government agencies to penalize polluting power firms according to the provisions of the Clean Air Act.

CARE cites the recent results of the ambient air quality monitoring in Metro Cebu, which show that the municipality of Naga, it is the top municipality in the whole Metro Cebu in terms of pollution. Sulfur Oxide and emissions of other particulate are high compared to Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City, and Mandaue City, which are hosts to lots of industries.

"We should not forget that Toledo City is twice toxic compared to Naga in terms of heavy metals present in ambient air. These areas, Naga and Toledo, are hosts to existing coal-fired power plant operations," Cinches said.

With this, there is a need to shift our focus to developing Cebu's renewable energy sources, he said. CARE, together with other environmental-concerned groups are opposing the expansion of the coal-fired power plants Salcon Power Corporation in Naga and Mirant Global Corporation in Toledo City due to their alleged hazards to the health and environment.

The group also calls on the legislators to support the Renewable Energy Bill in Congress, which is expected to aid investment in the renewable energy sector.

"In the long run, putting up of renewable energy sources is cheaper compared to coal, first renewable energy sources are not labor intensive, and maintenance cost is very low compared to the destructive character of fossil-fuel based energy sources such as coal fired power plants," CARE said. - Wenna A. Berondo