Difference between revisions of "Sarangani Province, Philippines"

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==[[Sarangani News]]==
==[[Sarangani News]]==
'''Last 2 Pacquiao fights fail to impress Ariza'''
'''PNoy PREEMPTS ENERGY SUMMIT, APPROVED MORE COAL-POWERED PLANTS'''
*Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/39983/last-2-pacquiao-fights-fail-to-impress-ariza
*Source: http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl111735.htm
*10:06 pm | Tuesday, April 10th, 2012
*APRIL 11, 2012  
:by Romina S. Austria
:by John Anthony Concepcion
Philippine Daily Inquirer




Manny Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach said he is far from impressed with the Filipino ring superstar’s two fights last year.
DAVAO CITY, APRIL 11, 2012 (MANILA STANDARD) Written by Christine F. Herrera - Critics bare ‘midnight deals’ on coal power plants
And the last thing Alex Ariza wants is an unprepared Pacquiao battling the unbeaten American Timothy Bradley on June 9 for the Sarangani congressman’s WBO welterweight belt at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
 
“We can’t have a bad camp,” Ariza told boxingscene.com. “(Pacquiao’s) physical conditioning is very important. This must happen all the way.”
President Benigno Aquino III has approved “midnight deals” to build more coal-fired plants in Mindanao days ahead of an Energy Summit here, locking the island into a dirty source of power for decades, lawmakers and environmentalists said Monday.
Pacquiao will defend his WBO title for the fourth time against the unpredictable Bradley, with the Ring magazine’s pound-for-pound king heavily favored to bag his 55th professional victory in 60 fights.
 
The eight-division world champion prevailed via ho-hum unanimous decisions over Joshua Clottey in March 2010 and Shane Mosley in May 2011 before besting Juan Manuel Marquez for the second time via an unpopular majority decision six months later.
“The Mindanao Energy Summit was supposed to give the stakeholders options for short- and long-term solutions to the power crisis, but no option is being offered because the contracts for coal are already a done deal,” Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said.
“He’s (Bradley) a high-volume puncher who’ll come forward,” Ariza said. “Bradley’s not a technical guy like Marquez. He fights somewhat like Manny. That’s why I think it’ll be an explosive fight.”
 
Ariza said Pacquiao, who has started light training in Manila and General Santos City, runs the risk of losing focus for his clash with Bradley because of his various activities outside the ring.
“Is there a conspiracy to ram fossil-fuel power as the solution? Would this not reduce the power summit to a farce, giving Mindanao consumers no choice but to stick to more expensive, dirty, non-renewable power?”
The Colombian conditioning guru also said starting camp on April 16 in Baguio City could be “a little late” for Pacquiao even though he sees a hungrier, more motivated Pacman this time.
 
“It’s up to Manny how he’d prepare against Bradley,” Ariza said, adding he knows Pacquiao wants to prove something in his coming fight.
Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director, said environmental compliance certificates were hastily approved for the coal plants despite opposition from the communities in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, world junior welterweight contender Ruslan Provodnikov (21-1, 14 KOs) will join Pacquiao’s training camp in Baguio. The Russian is expected to arrive in the country on April 22.
 
Provodnikov will travel back to Los Angeles with Pacquiao and head trainer Freddie Roach in early May to continue training at the Wild Card Gym.
“The hasty approval … confirms earlier suspicions that pro-coal business interests were out to capitalize on the current crisis to railroad government approval of such environmentally sensitive projects that should have undergone better scrutiny,” Hernandez said.
Despite his apprehensions, Ariza said he is confident the Pacquiao-Bradley bout will be a short one.
 
“Manny’s competitive spirit will take over,” Ariza said. “How he trains will impact on how he does against Bradley.
Agham Rep. Angelo Palmones, who comes from Cotabato, urged Congress to exercise its oversight powers to review the deals.
“If he trains properly, Manny could blow that guy away in less than five rounds.”
 
At a pre-summit conference last week, Energy Undersecretary Josephine Patricia Asirit said some 700 megawatts would be generated from the coal-fired power plants and that the 100-megawatt Iligan diesel plant owned by the Alcantaras would be revived pending clearance from the Audit Commission.
 
Asirit said Mindanao had a daily demand of 1,200 megawatts and a shortfall of 100 megawatts, and that demand was growing at 50 megawatts yearly. Some 1,400 megawatts would be in the pipelines for Mindanao from October 2012 to 2014.
 
Asirit identified the coal-fired projects as a 200-megawatt coal-fired plant by Conal Holdings of the Alcantaras in 2014, a 200-megawatt coal-fired plant by STEAG in the last quarter of 2014, a 300-megawatt coal-fired plant by Therma South of the Aboitizes in 2014, and a 15-megawatt oil-based plant by EEI Power Corp. in October 2012.
 
The 50-megawatt Mt. Apo 3 geothermal plant and a 5-megawatt wind farm would also be operational by 2014 and 2015, respectively.
 
Providing extra power would be the eight-megawatt Cabulig hydroelectric plant by Minergy, a 35-megawatt biomass facility by Green Power Bukidnon in 2013, the 225-megawatt Agus 3 hydroelectric plant by Lanao Hydropower Development Corp. in 2015, the 20-megawatt Tagoloan hydroelectric plant by Mindanao Hydro Power Corp. in 2016, and the 12-megawatt Tamugan hydroelectric plant by Hedcor in 2018.
 
Asirit said coal and diesel would make up the region’s base load because of the unreliability and seasonality of the hydrothermal plants.
 
Only 350 megawatts was approved for geothermal and other renewable energy sources.
 
Coal, power barges and diesel cost P9 a kilowatt hour compared with P2 for hydroelectric power and P2.80 for geothermal power.
 
Citing Asirit’s presentation at the pre-summit conference, Hernandez said the Energy Department had confirmed that four coal plants and one coal power plant expansion were in the pipeline for Mindanao.
 
“One of the plans [was] approved early this week, ironically, with a promise from the President to expedite the construction process of the harmful facility. Last November 2011, the government gave the go-signal for a coal plant in Sarangani, and before that in July, [President Aquino] was guest of honor in the inauguration of another coal facility in the Visayas.
 
“Should the other projects in Mindanao push through, President Aquino’s administration would have approved more coal plants than any of his predecessors.”
 
“With this midnight approval, the government has succeeded in creating a truly agonizing Holy Week scenario for the people of Mindanao, replete with episodes of sacrifice, false prophets, and public betrayal.”
 
Hernandez reminded the President of his campaign promise to support the development of renewable energy and to phase out coal-fired power plants.
 
“We thought this administration would approach this problem with a greater measure of integrity and sophistication,” Hernandez said.
 
“On the contrary, he has allowed coal pushers in his team to overturn his pledge as evidenced by the [Energy Department’s] existing plans to build an unprecedented number of coal plants during his term. The President should be advised that each coal plant he builds edges out the opportunity for the people of this country to harness clean and renewable power.”
 
Greenpeace claims there is no such things as “clean coal plants,” and that there were no commercially available technologies that could remove mercury, a deadly neurotoxin that accumulates in the environment and in the food chain, or carbon dioxide, which causes climate change.
 
Casiño, meanwhile, said he had learned that in an April 4 pre-summit meeting in Davao, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras ordered Mindanao’s electric cooperatives to buy expensive power from the privatized power barges at P14 a kilowatt hour, with the government shouldering P9 per kilowatt hour.
 
Almendras, he said, also reportedly ordered local government officials to immediately approve the environmental compliance certificates for at least two new coal-fired power plants in Mindanao.
 
“If that is the case, then the power summit would just be a rubber stamp... which forces consumers to pay an additional 50 to 80 centavos per kilowatt hour for their electricity due to the manipulations of favored private power generators like Therma Marine Inc. owned by the Aboitizes, ” Casiño said.
 
He said he found it strange that the government was willing to subsidize diesel power at P9 a kilowatt hour when it would be cheaper and more sustainable to subsidize solar and other renewable energy sources.
 
Asirit told the pre-summit conference that power rate increases were inevitable.
 
“What makes Mindanao different from Visayas and Luzon is its rich potential for renewable energy, from solar, hydro, geothermal to biomass. Why not tap these instead of the more expensive and dirty fossil fuel technologies?” Casiño said.
 
Also on Monday, administration Senator Serge Osmeña III chided the electric cooperatives for opposing the privatization of the government-owned plants on the island, saying it was mandated by law. He his view that the people of Mindanao had been enjoying subsidies for too long.
 
“The Mindanao cooperatives have their own version of the economic law of supply and demand,” Osmeña, chairman of the Joint Congressional Power Commission, told the Manila Standard in a text message.
 
“They demand subsidized electricity and the rest of the country must supply. What about the rest of the population who have been paying market rates for almost 10 years?”
 
The senator was reacting to the position paper submitted by the 33-member Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives, which urges the government to forgo plans to sell its power plants in Mindanao to prevent a spike in energy prices.
 
Osmeña said the privatization of government-owned plants was mandated by law to attract the private sector to enter the power generation business.
 
“Private owners do not and cannot afford to compete with government, which can operate at a loss,” he said.


==Photo Gallery of Sarangani, Philippines==
==Photo Gallery of Sarangani, Philippines==

Revision as of 00:15, 11 April 2012

List of Municipalities in the Sarangani province within REGION XII (Soccsksargen) in the Republic of The Philippines
Alabel (Capital) | Glan | Kiamba | Maasim | Maitum | Malapatan | Malungon
Cities in the Province of Sarangani: NONE

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
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Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

List of the 17 Regions in the Philippines
National - Capital Region ● I - Ilocos ● II - Cagayan ● III - C. Luzon ● IV-A - Calabarzon ● IV-B - Mimaropa ● V - Bicol ● VI - W. Visayas ● VII - C. Visayas ● VIII - E. Visayas ● IX - Zamboanga ● X - N. Mindanao ● XI - Davao ● XII - Soccsksargen ● XIII - Caraga ● XIV - CAR ● XV - BARMM

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Philippine News

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Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Province of Sarangani, Philippines
The province of Sarangani is within Region XII

Location of Sarangani, Philippines

Source: Wikipedia - Vebatim

Sarangani is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Alabel and borders South Cotabato to the north and Davao del Sur to the east.

Sarangani is part of the South Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-Gen. Santos City (Socsksargen) development cluster, and is linked by paved roads to the international airport and world-class fish port of Gen. Santos City. Good roads and regular flights through Gen. Santos City allow the province easy access to Manila, Cebu, Davao City, as well as the rest of the Socsksargen areas. Gen. Santos City’s airport has one of the country’s longest runways.

The province is situated as the country’s major gateway to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines - East Asean Growth Area. With its proximity to its regional counterparts, Sarangani is in a unique position to marshal its resources, entice tourists and investors, and compete in an international market under a borderless trade regime.

Strategically located at the southernmost tip of Mindanao, the province is protected by the resource-rich Sarangani Bay. Beyond this is the Celebes Sea, which is the province’s access to the rest of the world.

Bordered by over 230 kms. of unspoiled coastline, Sarangani offers more than 4,400 sq. kms. of typhoon-free land and marine resources, largely untapped tourism potentials, and vast investment possibilities.

The province is divided into two parts, separated by the Sarangani Bay and General Santos City, and it used to be part of South Cotabato until it was made an independent province in 1992.

History of Sarangani, Philippines

Source: Wikipedia - Verbatim

The early inhabitants who first inhabited Sarangani were the indigenous natives, called "MunaTo," a native term for "first people."

In 1942, the Japanese troops occupied Southern Cotabato (now. Sarangani).

In 1945, Filipino troops of the 6th, 10th, 101st and 102nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 10th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary entered and liberated in Southern Cotabato (now. Sarangani) and fought against the Japanese Imperial Army forces during the Battle of Cotabato at the end of World War II under the Japanese Occupation.

Before its inception in 1992, Sarangani was part of South Cotabato and held its title as the Third District of South Cotabato. The province was created by Republic Act No. 7228 on March 16, 1992, penned by the late Congressman, James L. Chiongbian. His wife, Priscilla L. Chiongbian is the first Governor of Sarangani. They are known as the Father and Mother of Sarangani Province.

Sarangani celebrates its foundation anniversary every month of November, named as "MunaTo Festival."

People of Sarangani, Philippines

Total Population of Sarangani

Local Government Unit LGU of Sarangani, Philippines

Elected officials of Sarangani for the term of 2010-2013
Elected officials of Sarangani for the term of 2007-2010

Businesses in Sarangani, Philippines

  • We invite you to list your business located in Sarangani.
  • Give your business a good description. Add your address and contact number if available.
    • Resorts, restaurants, pension houses, or hotels are welcome to be listed here.
    • Bakery, Mechanical Shop, Bicycle Shop, Tailor shops can be listed here.
    • If you have a pharmacy or gas station, it can be listed here too.
    • Hardware stores, Agrivets, salon, spas, etc. are welcome to be listed.
  • We do not allow external links exept for our sponsors zamboanga.com and maletsky.com. If you have an external site for your business you may not link to it in Z-Wiki but you can point to it. e.g. list it like this: www.my??business.com - this tells the people of your website but it does not link to it.
  • Businesses in Sarangani
    1. The name of your business, address, phone number

Sarangani, Philippines supports Philippine Cycling

Philippine Cycling is about cycling in the Philippnes. Philippine Cycling helps promote bike races, cycling clubs, bicycle tours, and the development of bicycle trails. Activities are coordinated with bike shops and cycling clubs throughout the Philippines to promote the fun of riding bikes. Philippine Cycling will be coordinating events with tour of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Road biking and mountain bikings will be promoted by Philippine Cycling.

Real Estate or Properties for Sale or lease in Sarangani, Philippines

  • If you have real estate property, whether its commercial, residential, farm land, or just an empty lot in Sarangani, you can list that property for free.
  • Click to VIEW, EDIT or ADD Realty Listings.
  • You can list your House and lot or farm land for sale or lease for free here.
  • If you are a real estate developer, you can list your subdivision, condominiums, high rises, apartment complexes, shopping strips or malls, open market developments here for Free.

Churches, Mosques, or Places of Worship in Sarangani, Philippines

The name of your church, mosque, or place of worship can be listed here. We can even provide you with a free webpage for you. We can help you.

  • List the Mosques or Masjid in Sarangani here.
  • List the Catholic churches and chapels in Sarangani here.
  • List the Methodist churches in Sarangani here.
  • List the Iglesia Ni Cristo churches in Sarangani here.
  • List the Seventh-day Adventist churches in Sarangani here.
  • List the Church of Jesus Christ Latter day Saints (Mormons) churches in Sarangani here.
  • List the Presbyterian churches in Sarangani here.
  • List the Baptist churches in Sarangani here.

Schools in Sarangani, Philippines

The name of your school in Sarangani can be listed here. You can list it like this:

  • Name of School. Private or Public. It can be an elementary school, high school, college.
    • Address of your school
    • Telephone Number
    • Principal of the school

You can also create a webpage for your school. We can help you.

Economy of Sarangani, Philippines

  • If you have an article that talks about the improvement of the economy of Sarangani you can post that article here. If you come across any news item that talks about the economy of Sarangani, you may post it here. Of course you have to reference the writer of the article. Any improvement to transportation, power and service usually improves the economy of the community, so go ahead and report that too.

Natural Resources of Sarangani, Philippines

Protect the environment

It is sad but true that as of the year 2012 the rivers of the Philippines continue to be the #1 Sewer Systems of the Philippines.

Protect & Save the Rivers. Do not let your sewer drain into the river. Your community can be the first to initiate this project.
Build your riverbank protection with a built-in gutter system. Reforest within Ten Years - Guaranteed!

Let us plant more trees in every barangay in the entire Philippines. It does not make any difference if the barangay is urban, partially urban or rural; we need more trees. Trees will prevent erosion, provide oxygen, prevent green house effect, and even a place of business for the shade tree mechanic.

The Philippines is a tropical country and practically anything will grow. The DENR has the planting trees project that goes on every year. Lots of picture taking for the media. Planting trees one by one is the "human" way of doing it. This individual planting of trees is good if done to "line" the roads and highways with trees or along fences or property divisions, or if you have a plantation.

To reforest the nation of the Philippines we have to plant trees the "mother nature" way. Sow the seeds during the rainy season. Go deep into "bald" forests and plant trees by sowing seeds. If there's not enough volunteers to do this, use the military helicopters to fly over the designated areas and sow the seeds.

Guaranteed within a few years, The Philippines will be lush again. >>Read More

We are using our rivers as our sewer system. If you ask a Filipino, "Are the Filipinos a clean people?" The answer is an automatic, "Yes!". However, the Filipinos are suffering from the same disease or attitude as most people do, and that is the "NIMBY" disease or "NIMBY" attitude. (NIMBY) Not In My Back Yard. So it is OK to dump my garbage and sewer there. Not mine! Someone else will take care of it.

This attitude is killing our rivers. Your great-grandparents, grandparents or parents were once proud to tell the stories of how they enjoyed swimming in the river behind your house or nearby. However, you can't say the same or tell the same stories to your kids or grand kids. Why? Because your generation is killing the river.

Contact:

  • Secretary Roy Cimatu - since May 8, 2017
  • Department of Environment and Natural Resources
  • Visayas Avenue, Diliman, 1100 Quezon City, Philippines
  • +63-2-929-6626
  • osec@denr.gov.ph

We have so much water in the Philippines and yet very little to drink.

Instead of relying too much on Diesel fuel and Coal to generate the majority of Philippine's Electrical energy Supply, we can concentrate more on renewable and sustainable source of energy such as: Hydro Power, Solar Power, and Wind Power and thermal energy conversion. We have too many black outs.

Tourists Attractions of Sarangani, Philippines

  • Help us add some of the tourist attractions of Sarangani in Z-wiki. This will help boost the local economy of Sarangani. Anything that is unique or anything that stands out in your community may be a tourist attraction.
  • Landmarks are usually photographed a lot by visitors. Post the Sarangani landmarks here.

Festivals, Fiestas and Traditions of Sarangani, Philippines

Every city or municipality has some sort of a festival or tradition that is celebrated every year. In the Philippines almost all barangays that are predominantly populated by Christians celebrate fiesta. Tell us about the festivals, fiestas and traditions of Sarangani.

Philippine News

Updated: February 5, 2024

Unity and Progress: Philippine City Mayors Advocate for Collective Advancement

In a compelling call to action, the head of the Philippines’ 149-member city mayor’s association emphasized the critical need for unity to foster continued national progress, peace, and prosperity. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, serving as the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, voiced the association’s support for the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s vision of a harmonious country, one that maintains its trajectory of achievements in vital societal areas.

>>> READ MORE

Sports News: updated 11/10/21

Kaya Iloilo sweeps Group B in Copa '21

MANILA – Kaya Iloilo pipped Mendiola with a 6-0 beating on Wednesday night to complete a sweep of Group B action in the Copa Paulino Alcantara at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona.

A Jovin Bedic brace in the first half set the tone for the inaugural tournament champ even as the club netted three goals in each of the two halves to seal the top seed in its group ahead of the semifinals next week.

Bedic capitalized on an erroneous Mendiola attempt to keep the ball out of his reach and quickly raced inside the penalty box to open the scoring for Kaya Iloilo in the 11th minute.
PNA

Sarangani Zip Codes

Source: Philippine Postal Corporation
  • This table is Sortable by City/Municipality or by ZipCode
Click on Icon to Sort
ZipCode 		Click on Icon to Sort
City/Municipality 		Province
9501 Alabel Saranggani
9502 Maasim Saranggani
9503 Malungon Saranggani
9514 Kiamba Saranggani
9515 Maitum Saranggani
9516 Malapatan Saranggani
9517 Glan Saranggani

Sarangani News

PNoy PREEMPTS ENERGY SUMMIT, APPROVED MORE COAL-POWERED PLANTS

by John Anthony Concepcion


DAVAO CITY, APRIL 11, 2012 (MANILA STANDARD) Written by Christine F. Herrera - Critics bare ‘midnight deals’ on coal power plants

President Benigno Aquino III has approved “midnight deals” to build more coal-fired plants in Mindanao days ahead of an Energy Summit here, locking the island into a dirty source of power for decades, lawmakers and environmentalists said Monday.

“The Mindanao Energy Summit was supposed to give the stakeholders options for short- and long-term solutions to the power crisis, but no option is being offered because the contracts for coal are already a done deal,” Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said.

“Is there a conspiracy to ram fossil-fuel power as the solution? Would this not reduce the power summit to a farce, giving Mindanao consumers no choice but to stick to more expensive, dirty, non-renewable power?”

Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director, said environmental compliance certificates were hastily approved for the coal plants despite opposition from the communities in Mindanao.

“The hasty approval … confirms earlier suspicions that pro-coal business interests were out to capitalize on the current crisis to railroad government approval of such environmentally sensitive projects that should have undergone better scrutiny,” Hernandez said.

Agham Rep. Angelo Palmones, who comes from Cotabato, urged Congress to exercise its oversight powers to review the deals.

At a pre-summit conference last week, Energy Undersecretary Josephine Patricia Asirit said some 700 megawatts would be generated from the coal-fired power plants and that the 100-megawatt Iligan diesel plant owned by the Alcantaras would be revived pending clearance from the Audit Commission.

Asirit said Mindanao had a daily demand of 1,200 megawatts and a shortfall of 100 megawatts, and that demand was growing at 50 megawatts yearly. Some 1,400 megawatts would be in the pipelines for Mindanao from October 2012 to 2014.

Asirit identified the coal-fired projects as a 200-megawatt coal-fired plant by Conal Holdings of the Alcantaras in 2014, a 200-megawatt coal-fired plant by STEAG in the last quarter of 2014, a 300-megawatt coal-fired plant by Therma South of the Aboitizes in 2014, and a 15-megawatt oil-based plant by EEI Power Corp. in October 2012.

The 50-megawatt Mt. Apo 3 geothermal plant and a 5-megawatt wind farm would also be operational by 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Providing extra power would be the eight-megawatt Cabulig hydroelectric plant by Minergy, a 35-megawatt biomass facility by Green Power Bukidnon in 2013, the 225-megawatt Agus 3 hydroelectric plant by Lanao Hydropower Development Corp. in 2015, the 20-megawatt Tagoloan hydroelectric plant by Mindanao Hydro Power Corp. in 2016, and the 12-megawatt Tamugan hydroelectric plant by Hedcor in 2018.

Asirit said coal and diesel would make up the region’s base load because of the unreliability and seasonality of the hydrothermal plants.

Only 350 megawatts was approved for geothermal and other renewable energy sources.

Coal, power barges and diesel cost P9 a kilowatt hour compared with P2 for hydroelectric power and P2.80 for geothermal power.

Citing Asirit’s presentation at the pre-summit conference, Hernandez said the Energy Department had confirmed that four coal plants and one coal power plant expansion were in the pipeline for Mindanao.

“One of the plans [was] approved early this week, ironically, with a promise from the President to expedite the construction process of the harmful facility. Last November 2011, the government gave the go-signal for a coal plant in Sarangani, and before that in July, [President Aquino] was guest of honor in the inauguration of another coal facility in the Visayas.

“Should the other projects in Mindanao push through, President Aquino’s administration would have approved more coal plants than any of his predecessors.”

“With this midnight approval, the government has succeeded in creating a truly agonizing Holy Week scenario for the people of Mindanao, replete with episodes of sacrifice, false prophets, and public betrayal.”

Hernandez reminded the President of his campaign promise to support the development of renewable energy and to phase out coal-fired power plants.

“We thought this administration would approach this problem with a greater measure of integrity and sophistication,” Hernandez said.

“On the contrary, he has allowed coal pushers in his team to overturn his pledge as evidenced by the [Energy Department’s] existing plans to build an unprecedented number of coal plants during his term. The President should be advised that each coal plant he builds edges out the opportunity for the people of this country to harness clean and renewable power.”

Greenpeace claims there is no such things as “clean coal plants,” and that there were no commercially available technologies that could remove mercury, a deadly neurotoxin that accumulates in the environment and in the food chain, or carbon dioxide, which causes climate change.

Casiño, meanwhile, said he had learned that in an April 4 pre-summit meeting in Davao, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras ordered Mindanao’s electric cooperatives to buy expensive power from the privatized power barges at P14 a kilowatt hour, with the government shouldering P9 per kilowatt hour.

Almendras, he said, also reportedly ordered local government officials to immediately approve the environmental compliance certificates for at least two new coal-fired power plants in Mindanao.

“If that is the case, then the power summit would just be a rubber stamp... which forces consumers to pay an additional 50 to 80 centavos per kilowatt hour for their electricity due to the manipulations of favored private power generators like Therma Marine Inc. owned by the Aboitizes, ” Casiño said.

He said he found it strange that the government was willing to subsidize diesel power at P9 a kilowatt hour when it would be cheaper and more sustainable to subsidize solar and other renewable energy sources.

Asirit told the pre-summit conference that power rate increases were inevitable.

“What makes Mindanao different from Visayas and Luzon is its rich potential for renewable energy, from solar, hydro, geothermal to biomass. Why not tap these instead of the more expensive and dirty fossil fuel technologies?” Casiño said.

Also on Monday, administration Senator Serge Osmeña III chided the electric cooperatives for opposing the privatization of the government-owned plants on the island, saying it was mandated by law. He his view that the people of Mindanao had been enjoying subsidies for too long.

“The Mindanao cooperatives have their own version of the economic law of supply and demand,” Osmeña, chairman of the Joint Congressional Power Commission, told the Manila Standard in a text message.

“They demand subsidized electricity and the rest of the country must supply. What about the rest of the population who have been paying market rates for almost 10 years?”

The senator was reacting to the position paper submitted by the 33-member Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives, which urges the government to forgo plans to sell its power plants in Mindanao to prevent a spike in energy prices.

Osmeña said the privatization of government-owned plants was mandated by law to attract the private sector to enter the power generation business.

“Private owners do not and cannot afford to compete with government, which can operate at a loss,” he said.

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