This week our friend Vince Cinches, Executive Director of Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center Inc. (FIDEC Inc.) and one of the founding member of Visayas Climate Action Now Network, sent us big news.  Thet are making headway in their fight against a proposed coal-fired power plant operation in Cebu and the closing of an exisiting plant.  

In regards to the existing plant, the courts issued the second ever Temporary Environmental Protection Order in the whole country against the Korean Electri Power Company (KEPCO), temporarily disallowing the plant to dump it's coal ash in areas near the facilities.  This comes after months of agressive petitioning from a coalition of environmental groups in Cebu. 

Shortly after the coutrs order the Asian Development Bank (ADB), who is funding the proposed project reasoned that it wanted to know the reasons why stakeholders are opposing the power plant. Last December 2009, the petitioners together with the country’s leading toxicologist Dr. Romeo Quijano conducted health evaluation in the communities forced to host the coal-fired power plant. It was found out that aside from being the leading contributor of global warming gases, the communities are getting sick because of the toxicity of coal.  They shared these finding at their meeting.

ADB was receptive to their report along with their call for an divestment from coal and an investmet in renewables. 

This is a VERY exciting moment in environmental history – please stayed tuned.  Email [email protected] for more information on the project.