Health Care Without Harm-Asia supports the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in its recent statement to review all the permits and operations of the Philippines’ coal-fired power plants.
Investing in renewable energy
DENR Secretary GinaLopez said that under her leadership, she will see to it that the country’s energy sources will not be limited primarily to fossil fuels. “I am not keen on limiting the country’s energy mix on coal alone,” Secretary Lopez said, citing the United States and countries in Europe already using renewable energy sources as base load power.
DENR Undersecretary Nicholas Perlas also said that the department is working with coal companies to support them in investing in renewable energy, emphasizing that renewable energy is becoming more widely used globally with many companies and countries now making a transition from fossil fuels. “We just have to stay abreast with science and technology that’s developing like crazy. You cannot be isolated from global development and rely on old technologies”, Perlas said.
Renewable energy is healthy energy
“Health Care Withourt Harm Asia welcomes the move of the Philippine government to review the operations of coal-fired power plants which has been proven to have deleterious effects to both environment and people’s health,” expressed HCWH Asia Director Ramon San Pascual. “This said, we similarly support the call for energy providers to consider transitioning to renewable energy in the soonest time.”
In the Philippines, HCWH Asia’s Healthy Energy Initiative has been campaigning to highlight the links between climate, health, and energy, particularly how energy choices and policies impact public health. “Coal plants are not only a major climate change contributor and environmental disruptors” explained Healthy Energy Initiative Campaigner Paeng Lopez.
