Marañon declares Negros Occidental ‘coal-free’

BACOLOD CITY — Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) declaring the entire province of Negros Occidental as coal-free, amid the ongoing protests against the proposed coal-fired plant in San Carlos City.

The governor announced his move before an estimated 2,000 Negrense youth who joined the “Youth Strike for Negros” protest rally, held at the Provincial Capitol Grounds here on Wednesday afternoon.

EO No. 19-08, signed by Marañon on March 6, is an order declaring the province as a source of clean and renewable energy.

“It is about the future. Climate change is here already, so we must protect our environment, we must conserve,” the governor said, adding that environmental protection is “inter-generational” and concerns everybody.

Some of the 2,000 Negrense students who participated in the “Youth Strike for Negros” rally, calling on the provincial government to immediately declare Negros Occidental as coal-free, at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City Wednesday (March 6, 2019) .
*Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera*

Marañon said that before coming up with the order, he tasked the Provincial Environment Management Office to make a thorough study on coal-fired power plants.

In the order, he cited Local Government Code of 1991, stating that the provincial governor shall adopt adequate measures to safeguard and conserve land, mineral, marine, forest and other resources in the province in coordination with mayors of component localities.

He also mentioned the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, which provides that it is the state’s policy to encourage the development and utilization of RE sources as tools to effectively prevent or reduce harmful emissions and thereby balance the goals of economic growth and development with the protection of health and environment.

“More and more countries have been decommissioning coal-fired powered plants due to the damage it has caused to the environment and in fact have been shifting to RE projects,” he said.

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, who also attended the “Youth Strike for Negros” rally, said they are thankful and elated that the governor made a very clear stand in favor of their advocacy for a clean province.

“That’s a good affirmation in itself,” said Alminaza, a staunch supporter of a coal-free Negros movement.

Alminaza, along with three other bishops in Negros, had earlier issued a collegial pastoral statement to protect the environment by opposing the reported proposal of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. to develop a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in San Carlos City.

Wednesday’s protest rally, attended by students and youth from different schools and parishes under the Diocese of San Carlos and some from Bacolod City, was considered the biggest youth-led mobilization on climate change and anti-coal initiative in the country, according to The Climate Change Reality Project.

Krishna Ariola, lead convenor of Youth for Climate Hope, said they have been holding protests for four consecutive Wednesdays now to express their anti-coal sentiments.

She added that they are calling for the immediate action of the Provincial Board to support the proposed ordinance submitted last October by Marañon, seeking to declare the entire Negros Occidental a coal-free, clean energy, and environment-friendly province.

Moreover, the governor said that since the proposal has been with the Provincial Board for quite some time already, the board members should vote on it so the public would know who are in favor or against the measure.

Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said they are not delaying the process, but said the committees on energy and environment are still conducting a series of hearings related to the proposed ordinance. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063875

114 former NPA supporters, militias pledge loyalty to gov’t

BACOLOD CITY — A group of 114 former supporters and militias of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental vowed loyalty to the government in a ceremony held at the Barangay 2 covered court on Monday.

Their oath of allegiance was facilitated by the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), which covers the northern part of the province.

Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus Logan, commanding officer of the 79IB, said in a statement the participants’ renounciation of support to the CPP-NPA shows that Negrenses have awakened from the lies and deceptions of the terrorist rebels.

A total of 114 former supporters and militias of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental vowed loyalty to the government in a ceremony held at the Barangay 2 covered court on Monday (Feb.25, 2019).
*Photo courtesy of 79th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army*

“I encourage other Negrenses to end their support to the rebel groups to reach the desired lasting peace and sustain the development of Negros Occidental,” he added.

The 114 participants, including 98 former mass supporters and 16 unit militias, took a pledge of allegiance to the Philippine Constitution before Steven Dronco, local government operations officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in San Carlos City.

They are residents of Barangays Quezon, Guadalupe, Buluangan, Nataban and Cod-cod.

The ceremony was witnessed by Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr. and Supt. D’ Artagnan Katalbas Jr., city chief of police, and officials from various barangays.

For his part, Valmayor thanked the 79IB for initiating the Community Support Program that provides security and assistance in the delivery of the government programs to his constituents.

Earlier, the 79IB also facilitated the conduct of the oath of allegiance of two groups, which also renounced support to the CPP-NPA, in two cities in northern Negros.

Last February 22, 80 former members and mass supporters of the CPP-NPA pledged loyalty to the government in Victorias City.

The participants are from Barangays Estado and Gawahon in Victorias City; Caduhaan in Cadiz City; Canlusong in EB Magalona; and San Pablo in Manapla.

The following day, 35 persons from Escalante City also expressed their loyalty to the Philippine government.

They included residents of Binaguiohan, Pinapugasan, Paitan, and Dian-ay, who took their oath of allegiance before Pastor Morito Panadero at the battalion’s headquarters in Barangay Bato, Sagay City.

The United States and the European Union have declared the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062936

OCD opens P34.7-M regional evacuation center in north Negros

BACOLOD CITY — The Office of Civil Defense in Region 6 (OCD-6) has unveiled the second regional evacuation center in Western Visayas in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Thursday afternoon.

The two-story building, with a project cost of PHP34.69 million, is situated at Margarita Subdivision, Barangay 2 of the northern Negros city.

OCD-6 Regional Director Jose Roberto Nuñez, together with representatives of other concerned agencies, turned over the facility to Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr. and other city officials.

The PHP34.69 million regional evacuation center in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental inaugurated by the Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas on Thursday afternoon (Feb. 14, 2019).
*Photo courtesy of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental LGU*

“As we turn over this project to you, we hope that you will ensure proper maintenance of the facilities and ensure that all equipment donated for the improvement and conditions during an emergency are properly stored in safe areas,” Nuñez said in his message during the inauguration and turn-over rites.

He acknowledged the city government for providing a location for the evacuation center and ensuring that the project is “free from all infirmities regarding ownership”.

Nuñez and Valmayor signed a memorandum of agreement, together with the representative-officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of Health (DOH), for the operation of the facility that can accommodate around 33 families or about 130 individuals.

Also signing on behalf of their respective agencies were Engineer Oliver Zamora, chief of DPWH-6 Maintenance Division; Candelaria Salem of DOH-6; and Luna Moscoso, chief of DSWD-6 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division.

For his part, Valmayor committed to the partner-agencies, led by the OCD-6, that the city government will do its part in the maintenance and improvement of the evacuation center.

“We assure our partners that our City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office under the city government will ensure the proper use and maintenance and allocate funds to complete all necessary equipment,” the mayor added.

Last year, the OCD-6 opened the first-ever regional evacuation center in Bago City in southern Negros Occidental.

Nine more evacuation regional centers will soon open, including the ones in Sagay City, Bacolod City, as well as in Roxas City, Capiz; San Jose de Buenavista, Antique; Kalibo, Aklan; Nueva Valencia, Guimaras; and the towns of Carles, San Miguel and Zarraga in Iloilo province.

“The use of schools as evacuation centers disrupt the classes of students and displace them that is why we, in the Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas, continuously ensures the establishment of safe evacuation centers,” Nuñez said. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062004