In a signed statement released on Friday, November 14, the Diocese of Lucena through its clergy on concluding their annual spiritual retreat in Tagaytay City, stressed the need for an urgent climate action, highlighting that the Filipinos, especially the poorest communities, are enduring continued worsening calamities.
Signed by over a hundred priests from the Diocese, the statement recapitulated their solid opposition to the 1,200 MW Atimonan coal-fired power plant, which started a decade ago. In violation of the coal moratorium, the project will not bring energy security, but a burden to consumers, natural livelihood and the climate, they say.
Consequently, the religious body also stood against the heated 247 MW Banahaw Wind Power Project, arguing that the need to transition with clean energy should not come at the price of harm to community, biodiversity, and forestry.
“Ito ay panawagan at panalangin na kasabay ng pag-call-out natin sa mga taksil sa kapangyarihan, dapat maging huwaran din tayo ng mga mananampalataya upang kumilos at magsalita rin”, said Rev. Fr. Warren Puno, Director of the Ministry of Ecology in the Diocese of Lucena and the Convenor of the Quezon for Environment.
“Nakapanlulumo na ang lahat ng epekto ng proyektong may pag-abuso sa kalikasan ay sinasalo ng mga dukha, at sektor na walang kalaban-laban”, he added.
Seeing the deadly effects of extractive activities in other parts of the country, the clergy also called for the province to halt destructive quarrying in different areas, appealing for urgency before lives were at stake.
