“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
- Benjamin Disraeli
Misinformation it seems is the remaining tactic of the proponent of the 168 MW coal plant here in Iloilo. As more and more Ilonggos understand that putting up a coal plant right in our backyard is not such a good idea, the proponent and its PR team are now trying to spread more lies and half-truths.
Well what can you expect? Millions of pesos in annual profits are at stake here and that the proponent has hired the best spin doctors to weave a blanket of misinformation.
Clean Coal?
First, they keep on reciting this “clean coal technology” script as if repeating it a thousand times will at least make it sound cleaner. In industrialized countries they are already moving towards renewable alternatives to coal in recognition of the fact that coal plants are the dirtiest sources of energy.
And coal-plant investors in these industrialized countries are now even talking about advancing the technology such as burying the carbon emissions underground or the use of a gasified form of coal. Again, in recognition of the fact that coal-fired power plant technology including the circulating fluidized bed combustion proposed here in Iloilo is a dirty technology.
Shortage?
Secondly, these coal pushers take advantage of the power interruptions brought about by the inefficiencies of the PECO-PPC tandem and the region’s poor transmission infrastructure. Then they conveniently pair these brownouts and blackouts to their over-exaggerated power demand projections.
They spin this dark tale that these power interruptions are going to get worse and a coal plant is the only answer to this problem. But if you check the annual projections of the DOE since 10 years ago, they have been projecting a shortage as early as 2005. Do we have a shortage now? No. The problem that we have now can be solved simply by an improvement in the transmission facilities, not by a 168 MW coal plant.
Currently, Iloilo City has a peak demand of only 76 MW and we have a capacity of 84 MW (69 MW from PPC and 15MW form NPC), not to mention the 25 MW capacity of the Negros-Panay submarine cable that provides additional power to the island. Simply put, these coal plant PR managers are fear-mongering us Ilonggos to accepting a hazardous project.
I am not saying here that there is no need to build more power plants for the city’s future needs. What I am saying is let us not foolishly jump to this dirty project as we have enough time to study and solicit investors for a cleaner power source.
Safe?
Thirdly, I have never heard any of these coal pushers acknowledging that indeed coal plants pose dangers to both the human health and the environment as shown by tomes of documents worldwide. What is ironic however is that while there is no admission of any hazard, they keep on mouthing their ready reply called “mitigating measures.” I do not know why you need “mitigating measures” if this is supposed to be a “clean coal technology.”
Now, they even got somebody from the DOH to endorse the project. I really do not know how a doctor from the DOH can be so ignorant of the facts. This endorsement of the building of a coal plant right in a densely populated city is such an irresponsible act coming from a health professional.
The DOH doctor asserted, “As far the health is concerned, there's no question with that because our concern is public protection. DOH is supportive of the coal plant project as it believes that mitigating measures will be put in place precisely to protect the public.”
There they go with the “mitigating measures” again. Here is a DOH doctor who will entrust our city’s health and environment to the belief that “mitigating measures will be put in place.” Why not chose a cleaner option so that there will be no need to mitigate? Why put a community at risk if there are other safer alternatives?
In news reports this doctor never mentioned what mitigating measures she has in mind and did not even articulate a medical or scientific perspective on the issue. All she can say is that the coal plant project is okay, period. It seems that corruption in Malacañang has trickled down to the departments.
Shameless
The sad story here is that some media entities are becoming to be part of this misinformation. An example is the shameless practice of this certain news daily in slanting all its news stories for the coal plant and maligning those who opposed the project.
This newspaper, while it proclaims itself as “Western Visayas’ Most Read and Respected,” has a weird concept of balance news. It is balance in a way that it gives good publicity in proportion to the weight of your wallet.
An interesting coincidence is that the publisher/editor of the paper is the paid PR manager of the coal plant proponent.
(Send your comments and reactions to: for text messages to 0919-348-6337 and for e-mails to ianseruelo@gmail.com.)
Showing posts with label clean coal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clean coal. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, October 15, 2007
Of Coal Plants and Junkets
“Integrity has no need of rules.”
– Albert Camus
If your bathroom were sparkling and spotless would you clean it? Would you wash the dishes when you know they are already clean?
If the current technology used in coal plants is “clean” why is it that up to now there are ongoing technological researches on how to make the same technology become environmentally friendly?
In the global scene, why is the power industry talking about burying coal plants emissions and implement what they call the CCS or the carbon (CO2) capture and storage?
Among other mitigating efforts to ease environmental impact, why is it that options including gasification of coal are now being laid on the table on coal power plant designs?
Simply put, if “clean coal” is indeed “clean” why the need to make it clean?
Well, coal plant proponents will say: “Current coal technology is clean and ongoing studies are geared towards making it more environment friendly.
That does not make sense! Why make it more environment friendly if it is already clean? If you say you want it to be “MORE environment friendly”, then you are claiming that it is already “environment friendly”. But is it?
If the technology is environment friendly then there should be no talk on how to mitigate the harmful emissions and noxious hazards of coal plants. But the fact that they cannot deny is – there is!
“Clean Coal” – revoltingly contradictory
Now, why call it “clean” when in actuality it is not? Why are they not accepting in public that indeed coal plants harm the environment and human health?
Why is there no admission from proponents that coal plants, including those using circulating fluidized bed (CFB), account for the biggest toxic emissions (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, etc.) in the planet?
Now, coal plant proponents will say: “Well one more coal plant here in Iloilo will not really make things worse. Further, it is only one additional plant and the impact may be negligible. And after all we need more power for the region’s development.
To the question: “Is ‘clean coal technology’ really clean?” does it really matter if the percent of additional pollution is small compared to the whole? Does it really matter if the hazards will be felt in 1 year, in 10 years or in 50 years?
The answer is “NO”. This technology that they are pushing is plainly NOT CLEAN – that is the simple message, no matter how they distort the facts. The term “clean coal technology” is a misnomer – grossly misleading and revoltingly contradictory.
Further, apart from it being a contributor to the planetary scourge of global warming, this coal plant will be a threat in the smaller regional scale. This coal plant, CFB or otherwise, that they want to build here in Iloilo poses serious hazards to our environment and to the population’s health.
On the need for additional power, many studies have shown superior renewable alternatives – options that embody the concept of sustainable development that this column has covered in the past.
Study trips or disguised bribe?
This leads me now to a separate but related issue – the question of legality and propriety of the “study trips” of our “honorable” city officials that were sponsored by the very proponent of a coal plant project in the City of Iloilo.
Mayor Treñas, Vice Mayor Mabilog and several City Councilors went to Taiwan allegedly to visit coal plants as arranged by the proponent. The trip and all expenses were shouldered by Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC), owner of Panay Power Corporation (PPC) whose proposing a 100 MW coal plant in Lapaz, Iloilo City.
In the legal front, RISE or the Responsible Ilonggos for Renewable Energy, through FDC chairperson Roming Gerochi is right on target in filing charges against Mayor Treñas for accepting this sponsored junket.
In the RISE complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, Treñas is accused of violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Section 7 (d) of the Act stipulates the following:
“Solicitation or acceptance of gifts. - Public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”
Clearly, Treñas (and the others) violated this provision. What’s funny is that in news reports this supposedly lawyer Mayor justifies his action by saying that “the proponents are not contractors or suppliers for projects of the city government”.
Further he said “his trip cannot be covered by prohibitions of the law because the coal-plant project does not need the approval of the city government”.
Nowhere in RA 6713 exempts a public official under the circumstances mentioned by Treñas. The actual quote of Section 7 (d) of the law above is very clear and is to be applied in a general manner as stressed in the phrase “in connection with…any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office”.
Is it not that making the city and its environment safe a function of their office? Is it not that the health of Iloilo City residents a part of the function of their office? Is issuing a business permit to PPC and ensuring that PPC is operating with the best interest of the City not a part of the function of their office?
Is it not their function to objectively study and make a stand on such important issue as the building of a coal plant right in the middle of the city? So how can Iloilo City residents now expect that their City officials will be objective and be on the side of the City’s environment and people’s health when it comes to the issue of the building of a coal plant?
What happened to integrity?
Treñas, Mabilog and these councilors should know better. As public officials, they should ensure that their actions and position on issues is beyond reproach. They should not allow their office to be tarnished by such mindless action.
To remind our “honorable” public officials, below is the “Declaration of Policies” of RA 6713:
“It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity…”
Actually, even without RA 6713 or any law, common sense will tell you that as public officials, accepting this junket is plainly inappropriate. This is in fact not only a question of law but more so a question of integrity.
But well maybe I am expecting so much from our public officials. Maybe common sense and integrity are characteristics that are really not that common among these politicians.
* * * * * *
Happy 30th Anniversary to UP in the Visayas’ Validus Amicitia Brotherhood! Congratulations for thirty years of powerful friendship. More power, amigos!
– Albert Camus
If your bathroom were sparkling and spotless would you clean it? Would you wash the dishes when you know they are already clean?
If the current technology used in coal plants is “clean” why is it that up to now there are ongoing technological researches on how to make the same technology become environmentally friendly?
In the global scene, why is the power industry talking about burying coal plants emissions and implement what they call the CCS or the carbon (CO2) capture and storage?
Among other mitigating efforts to ease environmental impact, why is it that options including gasification of coal are now being laid on the table on coal power plant designs?
Simply put, if “clean coal” is indeed “clean” why the need to make it clean?
Well, coal plant proponents will say: “Current coal technology is clean and ongoing studies are geared towards making it more environment friendly.
That does not make sense! Why make it more environment friendly if it is already clean? If you say you want it to be “MORE environment friendly”, then you are claiming that it is already “environment friendly”. But is it?
If the technology is environment friendly then there should be no talk on how to mitigate the harmful emissions and noxious hazards of coal plants. But the fact that they cannot deny is – there is!
“Clean Coal” – revoltingly contradictory
Now, why call it “clean” when in actuality it is not? Why are they not accepting in public that indeed coal plants harm the environment and human health?
Why is there no admission from proponents that coal plants, including those using circulating fluidized bed (CFB), account for the biggest toxic emissions (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, etc.) in the planet?
Now, coal plant proponents will say: “Well one more coal plant here in Iloilo will not really make things worse. Further, it is only one additional plant and the impact may be negligible. And after all we need more power for the region’s development.
To the question: “Is ‘clean coal technology’ really clean?” does it really matter if the percent of additional pollution is small compared to the whole? Does it really matter if the hazards will be felt in 1 year, in 10 years or in 50 years?
The answer is “NO”. This technology that they are pushing is plainly NOT CLEAN – that is the simple message, no matter how they distort the facts. The term “clean coal technology” is a misnomer – grossly misleading and revoltingly contradictory.
Further, apart from it being a contributor to the planetary scourge of global warming, this coal plant will be a threat in the smaller regional scale. This coal plant, CFB or otherwise, that they want to build here in Iloilo poses serious hazards to our environment and to the population’s health.
On the need for additional power, many studies have shown superior renewable alternatives – options that embody the concept of sustainable development that this column has covered in the past.
Study trips or disguised bribe?
This leads me now to a separate but related issue – the question of legality and propriety of the “study trips” of our “honorable” city officials that were sponsored by the very proponent of a coal plant project in the City of Iloilo.
Mayor Treñas, Vice Mayor Mabilog and several City Councilors went to Taiwan allegedly to visit coal plants as arranged by the proponent. The trip and all expenses were shouldered by Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC), owner of Panay Power Corporation (PPC) whose proposing a 100 MW coal plant in Lapaz, Iloilo City.
In the legal front, RISE or the Responsible Ilonggos for Renewable Energy, through FDC chairperson Roming Gerochi is right on target in filing charges against Mayor Treñas for accepting this sponsored junket.
In the RISE complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, Treñas is accused of violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Section 7 (d) of the Act stipulates the following:
“Solicitation or acceptance of gifts. - Public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”
Clearly, Treñas (and the others) violated this provision. What’s funny is that in news reports this supposedly lawyer Mayor justifies his action by saying that “the proponents are not contractors or suppliers for projects of the city government”.
Further he said “his trip cannot be covered by prohibitions of the law because the coal-plant project does not need the approval of the city government”.
Nowhere in RA 6713 exempts a public official under the circumstances mentioned by Treñas. The actual quote of Section 7 (d) of the law above is very clear and is to be applied in a general manner as stressed in the phrase “in connection with…any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office”.
Is it not that making the city and its environment safe a function of their office? Is it not that the health of Iloilo City residents a part of the function of their office? Is issuing a business permit to PPC and ensuring that PPC is operating with the best interest of the City not a part of the function of their office?
Is it not their function to objectively study and make a stand on such important issue as the building of a coal plant right in the middle of the city? So how can Iloilo City residents now expect that their City officials will be objective and be on the side of the City’s environment and people’s health when it comes to the issue of the building of a coal plant?
What happened to integrity?
Treñas, Mabilog and these councilors should know better. As public officials, they should ensure that their actions and position on issues is beyond reproach. They should not allow their office to be tarnished by such mindless action.
To remind our “honorable” public officials, below is the “Declaration of Policies” of RA 6713:
“It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity…”
Actually, even without RA 6713 or any law, common sense will tell you that as public officials, accepting this junket is plainly inappropriate. This is in fact not only a question of law but more so a question of integrity.
But well maybe I am expecting so much from our public officials. Maybe common sense and integrity are characteristics that are really not that common among these politicians.
* * * * * *
Happy 30th Anniversary to UP in the Visayas’ Validus Amicitia Brotherhood! Congratulations for thirty years of powerful friendship. More power, amigos!
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