Consumers Domain
EMB: Environmental Massacre Bureau?
"I don't question our existence,
I just question our modern needs…
--from "Garden" by Pearl Jam
The Ilonggos' battle against one of this planet's worst polluter -- coal-fired power plants -- is not yet over. As expected, the promoters of this dirty coal plants are hell bent in pushing their project here in Panay. Despite strong opposition from stakeholders and the general population; despite the project's rejection, they are still around trying to find ways to insert their project back into the agenda.
Now, it seems that they have even managed to creep into the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) under the DENR. If the high officials of EMB are willing partners, I cannot say. But one thing is for sure, I smell something fishy, and the odor is not coming from an ordinary tabagak but from the stench of mercury-laced fishes courtesy of coal-plants.
Now let us go to the meat of the matter, which was brought to this column's attention by the Responsible Ilonggos for Sustainable Energy (RISE). In fact, RISE wrote to the OIC Director of EMB who is based in DENR's Compound in Quezon City to formally raise the points that I will deal in this article.
In their letter, signed by Melvin Purzuelo of Green Forum, Convener of RISE, they question why Dr. Felixberto Roquia, a rabid backer of coal plants, end up being a member of the Review Committee formed by the EMB on the proposed coal-fired power plant in Concepcion, Iloilo.
Here are related excerpts from RISE's letter:
"Dr. Roquia was one of the consultants of Geosphere then the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) preparer for the rejected Banate coal-fired power plant. In October 10, 2003 we wrote a letter of protest to EMB Regional Director Samson Guillergan questioning the field investigations and interviews conducted by Geosphere even when the site scoping activity has not yet been conducted. It violated the existing EIA Guideline that agreements between the EIA proponent, DENR and stakeholders should be generated before the actual conduct of the EIA activities."
"On November 5, 2003, RISE and the Banatenhon Against Coal-Fired Power Plant requested Mr. Reynaldo Alcances, Chief of the EIA Division, EMB, to conduct an investigation of Geosphere for conducting site testing activities and perception surveys before the scoping activities and for acting as the marketing agents of the coal-fired plant project. Dr. Roquia has been observed to be the primary Geosphere consultant responsible for these foul activities."
How can we expect a fair review of the proposed project from somebody who was once in the payroll of an entity serving a previous coal-plant proponent and more likely is in the payroll of the current? But a rather more important question actually is -- how in heaven's name did Roquia manage to be part of the review committee?
Now that is where the stench is coming from! For verily, the EMB is not unaware of Roquia's background. Is EMB that callous not to see the apparent conflict in putting Roquia in the committee that will be instrumental in the fate of a proposed coal plant, who not too long ago is (and in most likelihood still is) a coal-plant peddler himself? It will be like asking the owners of Jollibee which fast-food chain has the best-tasting hamburger. It is like an anti-crime group hiring a drug dealer to help review the proposed campaign to weed the community out of drug pushers.
What is worse is that there is a seeming attempt to keep this information low key and tilt the process in favor of the coal plant proponent. For one RISE as early as January of this year has requested for copies of the scoping reports and the status of the EIA processing. It was only on July 21 that they receive the 1st and 2nd level scoping reports and it was on those documents that they discovered that Roquia is part of the review committee.
And this August 4, a public hearing is already set to be conducted in Concepcion, Iloilo! Now that gives RISE and other groups barely two-weeks to review the inches thick of reports that they have just received and prepare for the hearing.
Further, the EMB added another obstacle in the process. Indeed this is becoming to be an obstacle course for the opponents of the hazardous coal plant. In a Notice of Public Hearing posted in the Municipality of Concepcion it is required that "all parties who wish to attend or participate in this Public Hearing should first register in person or by mail with the EMB Central Office."
What?! You mean you will require the small fishers, farmers, vendors, trisikad drivers, who simply want to hear an issue affecting their community and their livelihood, to go to Quezon City or mail a letter simply to be able to LISTEN! If the EMB will deprive these stakeholders to participate in an issue that will spell development or doom to their community, that will be tantamount to the violation of a basic constitutional right to information.
As RISE pointed out further in their letter, "This is a highly irregular instruction for a Public Hearing that is supposed to encourage transparency and draw public participation in the process. Marginal fisherfolks and farmers from the small islands and the mainland of Concepcion and Ajuy are direct stakeholders of the Apitong Pass that will be gravely affected by the proposed project."
In fact, I can even argue that anybody shall be allowed to listen and participate in the public hearing, as the impacts of a coal-fired power plant are far-reaching -- the pollution in the waters of Concepcion is pollution of the entire waters of Panay.
It is the people's future that you are talking about and no precondition is acceptable for anybody's participation. In fact participation should be promoted and apathy discourage for that is the very foundation of a democratic society. Clearly, the EMB is promoting the opposite.
The Environmental Management Bureau better start fixing up their mess and straighten their processes otherwise we will baptize the agency with a new name -- Environmental Massacre Bureau.
(Send your comments and reactions to: for text messages to 0919-348-6337; for e-mails to ianseruelo@yahoo.com; and for blogs to http://consumersdomain.blogspot.com.)