LUCENA (LiCAS News): “Let us join the rest of the world in seeking freedom—a true Jubilee for all. That includes our environment. Let us set it free,” Bishop Mel Rey Uy of Lucena, Quezon province, the Philippines, said during the town fiesta Mass at Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Atimonan on August 1.
“Here in Atimonan, our environment was taken from us without warning. And now, they want to bring the coal plant back,” Bishop Uy said as he slammed the renewed push for the 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant spearheaded by Meralco PowerGen. He warned that its approval defied the spirit of the Church’s Jubilee Year and endangers communities already devastated by climate disasters.
The bishop also cautioned local communities against accepting donations or sponsorships from corporations behind fossil fuel projects. “Some of these corporations try to lure us with donations,” he said. “But we must not fall into that trap, because it compromises our stand.”
His remarks followed the decision of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin in July to approve Meralco PowerGen’s Atimonan One Energy (A1E) coal project, reversing a prior review of the plant’s exemption from the Philippine government’s coal moratorium.
Let us join the rest of the world in seeking freedom—a true Jubilee for all. That includes our environment. Let us set it free
Bishop Mel Rey Uy
Two days earlier, residents of Quezon and environmental advocates staged a protest outside the Department of Energy office in Taguig City, calling the project a “death sentence” for communities already battered by powerful storms.
“For 10 years, we have been fighting to stop this facility,” said Father Warren Puno, convenor of Quezon for Environment [QUEEN] and regional coordinator of the South Luzon Eco-Convergence Hub of Caritas Philippines.
“The affected communities are united in their stand: no matter how many times the Atimonan coal plant is approved, we will block it because it is nothing but poison to our air, water, and climate,” Father Puno added.
Quezon province has been on the frontline of climate disasters. In May 2024, Typhoon Ewiniar [Aghon] unleashed record floods that displaced thousands and destroyed crops. Five months later, Typhoon Haishen [Kristine] submerged entire towns, forcing local governments to declare a state of calamity.
The affected communities are united in their stand: no matter how many times the Atimonan coal plant is approved, we will block it because it is nothing but poison to our air, water, and climate
Father Warren Puno
Environmental groups have also raised health concerns. A 2024 study by the Centre for Energy, Ecology, and Development [CEED] found that Atimonan and nearby Pagbilao, along with Maasim in Sarangani province, exceeded national and international air quality standards.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
Fisherfolk leaders warned that the project would further erode their livelihoods.
“We have already suffered from policies that oppress small fisherfolk,” said Ramon Grimaldo, a veteran fisherfolk leader in Atimonan. He called on authorities to protect local waters “from this dirty plant,” adding, “It will never be right to poison our seas for electricity that we will never benefit from.”
QUEEN vowed to continue its resistance and urged local officials to prioritise clean and renewable energy development.
“The Church has always stood with us—not just to defend those at the margins, but also to oppose projects that harm the poor while enriching a few,” Father Puno said.
