A coalition of environmental advocates and community groups disrupted the 4th Philippine Natural Gas Investment Summit on Tuesday, calling for an end to liquefied natural gas (LNG) investments in the country amid worsening climate impacts.
WagGas, a coalition that includes environmentalists, sectoral organizations, and affected communities, staged the protest at the Lanson Place Mall of Asia, where the summit was being held.
The event was attended by key energy industry players, including Aboitiz Power, MGen, and FirstGen, as well as officials from the Department of Energy (DOE).
The group highlighted the devastating effects of recent typhoons and criticized the government for pushing LNG investments.
“The House of Representatives adopted the Senate’s recently-passed Philippine Natural Gas Industry Development Act last November 13, all while a record-breaking series of typhoons have made landfall in the Philippines in less than a month,” said Krishna Ariola of Youth for Climate Hope, a member-organization of WagGas.
She added that natural gas is still a fossil fuel, which “is a major contributor to climate change. As long as the government continues to be in talks with the industry, the power sector will never be aligned to the Paris 1.5C commitment, effectively abandoning our lives and our future.”
Senate Bill No. 2793 promotes the development of both indigenous natural gas and imported LNG. However, the coalition warned of its detrimental impact on the environment and communities.
“Gas and LNG are not only damaging to marine ecosystems and the climate but also directly translates to higher electricity prices. The President mentioned so many steps during his SONA on his plan to lower electricity bills for consumers,” Ariola said.
Ariola emphasized that the transition to renewable energy is the most critical and effective measure to address the energy crisis. Renewable energy, according to her, ensures a stable electricity supply unaffected by market shocks and remains the most cost-efficient energy source in the country.
The coalition emphasized the dangers of continuing fossil fuel dependency, particularly in the face of deadly storm surges exacerbated by climate change.
Bishop Gerry Alminaza of San Carlos, a WagGas convenor, spoke on the environmental and moral implications of LNG projects.
“We stand together in a solemn call for the protection of our planet. These proposed gas projects will be built right beside critical marine ecosystems, spewing toxic pollutants into our oceans and climate-warming emissions into the atmosphere,” he said.
He stressed that oceans should be protected and conserved, “not be given to corporations as a business venture for fossil fuel projects.”
The prelate highlighted the Church’s solidarity with local communities opposing these projects across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, reaffirming their commitment to advocating until the government halts investments in initiatives harmful to the climate, including LNG projects.
