ENVIRONMENTAL advocate, Power for People Coalition (P4P) has expressed setback over President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements on his renewable energy agenda during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
P4P even said in his SONA, that Marcos tackled the need to build more power plants and look for other sources to address the growing energy demand. He then recommended revisiting nuclear power plants as an alternative to energy under his term.
P4P Convenor Gerry Arances said Marcos reiterated his earlier position that it is time to re-examine the government’s strategy toward building nuclear power plants in the Philippines.
According to Marcos that the use of renewable energy is at the top of our climate agenda,” but also said that gas remains necessary for the transition, calling for the development of new power plants and the use of natural gas as another energy source alongside renewables.
Arances said that President Marcos’ energy plans are at odds with what he promises.
“He (Marcos) cannot say that renewable energy is his top agenda when he is peddling nuclear and natural gas, both of which are not clean sources of energy, not to mention the environmental risks and hazards that come with it,” said Arances.
“In the area of nuclear power, there have been new technologies developed that allow smaller scale modular nuclear plants and other derivations thereof,” the President said.
Marcos also bared his plan for the enactment of an enabling law for the natural gas industry and providing incentives for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a bridge fuel.
“It’s disappointing to hear him talk about incentives and bills for gas and action points for nuclear but no actual plans for renewable energy,” said Arances.
Renewable energy is a top priority not just by saying it, but committing to minimizing, then eliminating the use of fossil fuels to protect the environment and consumers, according to Arances.
“Marcos Jr.'s renewable energy plan roadmap is full of contradictions,” according to Arances.
He said Marcos was on point on renewable energy as a priority both for lowering costs and transition but his plans were distracted and unsound with his push for LNG and nuclear.
“The more we rely on fossil fuels, the more consumers suffer during times of high prices in the world market, as we are experiencing now,” added Arances.
