FDC welcomes the arrival of fellow anti-coal revolutionaries
The Freedom from Debt Coalition Iloilo Chapter will be among the groups to host the arrival of Greenpeace campaigners in Iloilo City on November 18, 2005 as part of the 2005 Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Revolution Tour.
According to Ted Aldwin Ong, deputy secretary-general of FDC-Iloilo, 'we are honored that Iloilo was included in the Philippine leg of this tour giving us the opportunity to get a first hand look of SV Rainbow Warrior - the most controversial ship of Greenpeace. Its arrival is a symbolic declaration for a revolution against the establishment of dirty and highly polluting energy sources like coal.'
The local chapter of the nationwide advocacy group FDC is co-convener of the Responsible Ilonggos for Sustainable Energy (RISE), the lead group that pushes renewable power sources in Panay and the Visayas region such as sun, wind, and biomass.
Likewise, Ong explained, 'their arrival is also a show of solidarity to the Ilonggos who are vehemently against the construction of coal-fired power plants in the coastal towns of Concepcion and Barotac Viejo. This is an important event to highlight public opposition not only against coal plants, but also against privatization of power utilities and the entry of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the Visayas.'
The two-day activity will formally open on November 18, 2005 with a press conference at the Loboc International Port. Invited guests include officials in the City and Province of Iloilo together with government agencies and representatives from the different academic institutions.
There will be exhibits and video presentations set at the lobby of the Old Provincial Capitol building which will also act as the holding area for students who will join in the guided tour to the Rainbow Warrior. There is also a scheduled mountain bike fun ride on November 19, 2005, which will pass in the main thoroughfares of Iloilo City and will proceed to the dock site of the flagship.
'The arrival of Greenpeace is good news because of its noble purpose and that is to educate the public on one of the most pressing environmental issues of our times - climate change. The Greenpeace campaigners will share knowledge to the Ilonggos on the impact of highly polluting fossil fuels to our changing weather conditions today,' expressed lawyer Romeo P. Gerochi, chairperson of FDC-Iloilo.
'We enjoin the public to become part of this visit and exchange experiences with the staff and crew of the Rainbow Warrior in order to strengthen our local advocacies on issues related to power, consumerism and the environment,' concluded Gerochi.