Building our knowledge work in La Union

Sabrina Arambulo & Anj Cayabyab - March 25, 2024

Last month, RENDER headed to Luna, La Union, to meet with scientists and CSO leadership to create a proper framework for research on the halted coal-fired power plant (CFFP) in the area.

The Scrapped Luna Coal Project

In 2017, residents and townsfolk of La Union joined hands to halt the construction of a 1.5 billion USD, 670-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Luna, La Union. Global Business Power Corp., a unit of GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Metrobank Group, aimed to build the plant in Luna, a town rich in natural and cultural treasures of significant ecological, economic, and touristic value. Metrobank is the country’s fourth biggest bank in terms of assets, and it has made the biggest investment post-2020, with US$273 million in coal facilities despite the moratorium set by the government in 2020 to establish a resilient and flexible power mix during the pandemic.

Progressive environmental groups led by organizers like Crisanto Palabay marched barefoot through the streets of San Fernando, La Union, to call for support to completely abandon the project as emissions and waste from the plant will only cause harm than good not only for the residents of Luna but also towns within the 50-km radius including the rainforest, Mt. Kangisitan.

The project had been valued at a high price as it was expected to generate power to supply the province and Metro Manila through the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). However, La Union-based scientists warned that valuation should focus on people and not profit. The construction and operation of the project would disrupt tourism in the province, which would be detrimental to the province’s productivity as it is one of the largest income-generating sectors. This would have jeopardized the jobs and businesses of the locals. Hence, from an economic perspective, the plant would have incurred losses rather than profits.

The RENDERZine, a climate and energy art magazine, being dropped at the Puon Bookshop located in San Fernando, La Union

RENDER at DMMMSU

At the heart of RENDER's work is arranging climate and energy convenings in universities, so the platform met with Professor Celso Jucutan at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU). Prof. Celso is the coordinator of the Environmental Management Office; showing us around the campus was enlightening, as the university's emphasis on energy conservation is evident in its practices and architectural design.

A highlight of our visit was seeing DMMMSU's commitment to renewable energy. According to the university, the campus implements three strategies to promote energy conservation, namely: (1) setting guidelines on the use of power and electricity within university premises, (2) Monitoring power and electricity consumption and inspecting electric facilities in all buildings once every month, and (3) continuously funding and upgrading more sustainable technologies to phase out older technology. DMMMSU is dedicated to safeguarding the diverse flora and fauna species found across its three campuses by minimizing the university’s carbon footprint. One of their commitments is to aim to utilize solar power as its main energy source.

Likewise, the campus is surrounded by flora and fauna, and hectares of land are being conserved by the local government, staff, and students. DMMMSU’s energy conservation practices serve as a tangible expression of the university’s values and as an educational tool that extends beyond the campus, as such practices have the potential to inspire a broader movement towards renewable energy initiatives and good case practices.

As a result of the visit, RENDER is exploring more opportunities to collaborate with the Environmental Management Office of the university for future convenings throughout the year, aiming to promote sustainable campus practices further, share good energy case practices, and overall raise awareness about climate change and the Filipino energy transition.

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