March 07, 2019 8:57 AM
The Negros Occidental provincial government says it now prohibits the entry of coal-fired power plants in the province.
Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr made this declaration during the "Youth Strike for Negros," a silent protest participated by hundreds of youth leaders calling for urgent action from the provincial government, Wednesday, March 6, at the Capitol grounds.
He also signed an Executive Order (EO) declaring the province as a source of clean and renewable energy and coal-free. The announcement pumped up the young crowd.
The EO said the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008 provides it is the state’s policy to encourage the development and utilization of RE sources as tools to effectively prevent or reduce harmful emissions and thereby balance the goals of economic growth and development with the protection of health and environment.
“More and more countries have been decommissioning its coal-fired power plants due to the damage it causes to the environment and in fact have been shifting to RE projects,” it said, adding that with proper technology transfer, the province has the landscape, capacity, and resources for further development and investment in RE projects.
These projects will not only address the energy supply but will also maintain the agricultural economic and social landscape of the province, the EO added.
