Toledo mayor hits critics of coal-fired power plants

CEBU, Philippines - Toledo City Mayor Arlene Zambo hits some non-government organizations and groups who claimed to be environmentalists, who continue to criticize the coal-fired power plant in her place.

As the mayor of Toledo, she said it is her duty to have a “balancing act” in taking care of the environment as well as invite investors to invest there.

Zambo lamented those so-called environmentalists who keep on hitting the on-going construction of power plant in the component city, saying it already provides over a thousand employment opportunities among her constituents as well as revenues for the city.

And as part of the city’s commitment in protecting the environment, it recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the Cebu Energy Development Corporation and the Toledo Power Company for a tree planting project.

“Recognizing our responsibility toward the community and our environment, this tree planting program is initiated. Today is just a start. More is still needed to be done to sustain the effort and momentum of this program,” said Rodulfo Bollozos, CEDC executive vice president during the MOA signing.

Bollozos said that the project shall serve as a model of cooperation between the power industry, an industry that is essential to the economic growth and the local government.

TPC and CEDC were undertaking projects to attain and maintain a rational and orderly balance between growing electrical power demand and environmental conservation and protection.

TPC is engaged in the operation and maintenance of the coal-fired power plant in Daanlungsod, Toledo City while CEDC is engaged in the development, engineering, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the 3X82 megawatt Clean Coal-Fired Power Plant project located in the same city.

Under the agreement, TPC and CEDC commit to plant a maximum of 5,000 seedlings each until they are able to plant 70,000 seedlings in cooperation with other non-government organizations for the entire duration of the project in accordance with the scheduled tree planting activity. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)