Btac . Viejo residents deny support to Mirant's coal plant

By Leny G. Gabo

Residents of Brgy . Satiago , Barotac Viejo, Iloilo belied reports that they registered their approval to the proposed coal-fired power plant project being proposed in their barangay by Mirant Global International.

Joebeil Durilag , Chairman of Madia -as Ecological Movement - Santiago Chapter said it is not true that most of the people in their barangay favor the proposed power plant.

In fact, he said, there was no formal consultation made among the people in the area.

He recalled, Mayor Raul Tupas merely told some barangay officials about the project.

He said the mayor also told them to look for the both sides of the project. He mentioned that people should consider the benefits but also look for the disadvantages.

Durilag said that concerned environmental advocates conducted studies and proved that the project has adverse effects to the environment and to the people as well.

In this view, they showed their opposition in the said project; however, the local government did not give them enough time for a consultation.

Instead, they have consulted some people and presented the good side of the project so that the people would agree with the project.

Durilag noted that there were some barangay officials invited to visit Mirant's coal power plant in Quezon . The group said that barangay officials became the instrument to campaign for the project.

Durilag said that the barangay officials are campaigning to the people to accept the project because of the better benefit it could give.

The local officials according to him are the ones briefing the people about the positive side of the power plant based on their observations in Quezon .

He, however, said that they have also sent their representative in Quezon and their representative had a different observation.

Earlier, Durilag said that they wanted to have a dialogue with the local chief executive for their suggestions and comments on the project. They have already made their position paper and they plan to conduct massive protests against the said project.