Sharing a message from Cynthia Sumagaysay- Del Rosario who is currently part of the struggle to protect the Philippine province of Palawan from DMCI Holdings’ proposed coal plant project.

Dear friends,

If you have already been to Palawan, you know that it is one special place. Aside from being voted as “the best island in the world” by travellers worldwide, Palawan is an environmentally critical area, hence its established identity as the “last ecological frontier of the country”.Palawan

But this jewel of ours here in the Philippines is now under threat. The government plans to place a coal plant in Palawan, the dirtiest energy known to humans. This is in opposition to the findings of the “Palawan Island Energy Master Plan” which show that hydro power is the cheapest energy source for the people of Palawan.

We need your help to save Palawan from the destruction to be brought by DMCI’s coal-fired power plant project.

Palawan is one of the top megadiversity hotspots in the world. We cannot let a coal plant add to its growing list of threats. It is home to different indigenous groups whose lives will be directly affected. As well as a refuge to hundreds of marine and terrestrial endangered species. Two UNESCO World heritage sites can also be found here – the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Palawan’s fragile environment is under threat. After two failed attempts in Narra and Aborlan, for the third time, DMCI is still pushing its construction in Bato-bato (San Isidro) in Narra, a community that is still suffering from the impacts of nickel mining. We cannot let DMCI ruin Palawan, especially with its blemished reputation in dealing with environmental issues. It has been issued “Notice of Violation” by DENR before when wastes from its coal-washing facility, was dumped directly into the sea, angering the fishing community of Semirara.

Palawan protestJoin us in amplifying the local resistance against DMCI’s 15 MW coal-fired power plant. Together, we can powerfully tell the DENR Secretary Ramon Jesus P. Paje to stop the proposed coal plant by DMCI.

We need to send the message that there is no place for a coal-fired power plant in Palawan — not when the people of Palawan have cheaper and cleaner alternatives readily available, not when burning more coal will cause even more dangerous climate change, and not when it would destroy our most precious remaining ecosystems.

Let us join together to protect this most precious of frontiers.

Sincerely,
Cynthia for Palawan Alliance for Clean Energy

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