By Nimfa L. Estrellado Rev. Fr. Warren Puno (center), convenor of Quezon for Environment, speaks during a protest against the Atimonan coal ...
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| Rev. Fr. Warren Puno (center), convenor of Quezon for Environment, speaks during a protest against the Atimonan coal plant. (P4P) |
LUCENA CITY, Quezon Province - A wave of public outcry followed the Department of Energy's (DOE) decision to grant clearance for MGen's 1200 MW Atimonan coal-fired power plant. The announcement has been met with immediate and fierce criticism from local groups, who argue the project will be devastating for the province of Quezon.
Quezon for Environment (QUEEN), a coalition of local churches, fisherfolk, and environmental organizations, delivered a searing rebuke. They condemned DOE Secretary Garin's decision as a "death sentence" for the people of Quezon, a province already reeling from the relentless and intensifying effects of the climate crisis.
In May 2024, Typhoon Aghon made three devastating landfalls in the province, causing widespread flash floods that displaced thousands of families and resulted in millions of pesos in agricultural and economic losses. Just months later, Typhoon Kristine left several municipalities under a state of calamity, with establishments and homes submerged for days.
Beyond its impact on the climate, opponents of the project point to a serious public health threat. A 2024 study by the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) revealed that air quality in Atimonan and Pagbilao already exceeds both the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and international standards. The new coal plant is expected to worsen this "invisible and fatal" pollution, with lasting impacts on the province's air quality and residents' well-being.
"For a decade, we have been fighting to stop this facility," said Rev. Fr. Warren Puno, a convenor of QUEEN and Regional Coordinator of Caritas Philippines. "Is it not enough that we repeatedly say we do not want fossil fuel in Quezon? Our stance is crystal clear: no matter how many times the Atimonan coal plant is given a green light, we will stand in its way."
The local fisherfolk community, already highly vulnerable to climate change, is particularly concerned. The plant's proximity to their fishing grounds poses a "double jeopardy" threat to their livelihoods and, by extension, to the region's food security, as pollution threatens to degrade the very marine ecosystems they depend on.
"We have already suffered so much from policies that oppress the small-scale fishing sector," said Ramon Grimaldo, a veteran fisherfolk leader in Atimonan. "We had hoped our waters would be protected from this dirty plant. Poisoning our ocean for electricity that we won’t even benefit from is and will never be right."
The decade-long resistance to fossil fuel plants in Quezon continues to grow, with advocates urging the local government to prioritize clean and renewable energy for the province's future. They continue to demand that the provincial government take a clear stand against new fossil fuel projects and instead invest in a just transition to renewable energy.
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