By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

After The Manila Times declared Negros Oriental an “environment-friendly and clean energy” province, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo credited the province’s efforts in protecting the local environment.

The governor touted efforts discouraging the use of coal-fired power plants, highlighting his administration’s directive to not issue permits, authorizations, endorsements, or any expression of support to the development of coal-fired power plants.

“Other countries [have] experienced the damaging effects to the environment [by] coal-fired power plants that emit pollution,” he explained.

Degamo said such power plants poison the air, land, and water; destroy natural beauty; and cause serious illnesses, such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological defects.

“The preservation of Negros Oriental’s natural beauty, its abundant resources, and the protection of the life and health of Negrenses is of utmost importance,” he stressed./DGB, WDJ