Editorial  

Starting from Oct 25 to Nov. 11, Typhoon Quinta, Rolly, Siony, and Ullyses battered the Northern, Central, and Southern Luzon. These typhoons caused a combined estimated cost of P14.482 Billion damages in infrastructures and in the agricultural sector. Reports also tell that there are at least 95 deaths, 38 missings, and more than hundreds of injured across the country.

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Due to the gravity of loss and damages, netizens on Facebook and Twitter criticized the government, calling them “incompetent” and “inadequate.” They pronounced: Had the Duterte administration took heed of the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather events-- knowing full well that the country is geographically located in the Pacific Ocean Region-- the cost of the climate crisis could have been significantly reduced, if not avoided.

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On the contrary, supporters of the administration, as well as other netizens, said that the government cannot be blamed as the damages were the result of consecutive natural disasters. They even claim that no one, not even President Rodrigo Duterte nor the whole government, can stop typhoons from occurring.

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However, what these supporters do not know is that the government has its fair share in the worsening of the environmental problems. If true, they may also be partly responsible for the creation of these “unusual” weather patterns and super typhoons; thus, they should also be held accountable.

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In 2018, William Holden, an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary and a Research Associate in the Canadian Institute of Resources Law published a journal article that argues that the stronger typhoons being experienced in the Philippines are manifestations of climate change brought about by the continuous usage of coal, fossil fuels, and other non-renewable resources.

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That being said, the power statistics report released by the Department of Energy (DOE) states that most of the country’s power supply was generated from fossil fuels.

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From 2003 to 2019, coal has produced 489,447 GWh of the country’s energy. Natural gas also created around 317,201 GWh, while there are 89,088 GWh from oil-based sources. Only 27% of all the energy generated since 2003 was from renewable energy sources (geothermal, hydro, biomass, solar, and wind).

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Likewise, despite numerous articles and objections to projects that are related to the use of non-renewable resources, the government still continues to approve and give go signals to coal- projects.

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  In 2015, the DOE announced the construction of more than 10 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants and released a Coal Roadmap 2017-2040. As of now, there are said to be at least 22 approved coal-plants. These proposals are approved despite the negative reaction of the communities, excess energy supply, and an order of the Supreme Court to not have power supply agreements.

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In a statement posted on Facebook last Nov.16, the Power for People Coalition (P4P) pleaded to the DOE to ensure that no certificates shall be given to coal-fired plants.  Sadly, it was later on clarified that the 22 approved new proposals will still be built. Coal projects that have already received environmental compliance certificates and permits from the local governments will also be pursued.

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To add, DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi also stated in an online briefing that coal-projects are no near to being shut down as the government “cannot afford to mandate retirement of such facilities.” He added that they can only disallow current and future projects.

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To curb the effects of climate change, the government must aggressively invest in clean energy especially as we are in an ideal location for solar, wind, and geothermal sources of energy. 

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The above mentioned only proves that the government has been lenient and has tolerated the use of non-renewable sources, despite the passage of the Renewable Energy Act in 2008, which states that the government shall prioritize the development and usage of renewable energy over fossil fuels.

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Besides that, the establishment of these coal projects also strays away from the country’s decarbonization commitment to the Paris Agreement. The agreement states that the Philippines is obligated to reduce its carbon emissions by 70% below projected levels by 2030. Likewise, Greenpeace Philippines states that the continuous use of the coal plants can lock the country into long-term fossil fuel contracts. 

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Thus, it is only apt that the government be held accountable for the sufferings, damages, and loss that Filipinos have been through in the past few weeks. This is especially true if we are to assess the situation using the claims of Holden.     

     

To curb the effects of climate change, the government must aggressively invest in clean energy especially as we are in an ideal location for solar, wind, and geothermal sources of energy. 

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If the government can fund projects such as Manila Bay Dolomite, then, they should also be able to finance sustainable projects attuned to the needs of the people and the environment. #

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Editor's Note: This editorial piece is written by Ace Quijano, a 2nd year BA Communication student from UP Baguio.