By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The construction of a coal-fired power plant in San Carlos City could be decided before the 2019 midterm elections. In a radio interview, Provincial Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko, who chairs the legislative body’s Committee on Energy, said there is no exact date pertaining to the request by Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. to pass an ordinance declaring the province “coal-free.”

He added, hearings on the matter will not be affected by the start of the campaign period.

The provincial board member added, last Wednesday, his committee and the committee on environment held a meeting and decided to call representatives of various electric cooperatives from Iloilo and Negros Oriental and have them present the positive and negative effects of coal-fired power plants in their province.

The proposed coal-fired power plants faces continued opposition from church leaders and environmental groups.

Diocese of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza earlier said the Catholic Church supports the protection of the common good and the common home, saying, “Progress can still be achieved [through] sustainable and climate-friendly means.”

The bishop also appealed to plant developer San Miguel Corporation Global to instead invest their capital in renewable energy./DGB, WDJ