PAGBILAO, Quezon—Even the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels here stand to benefit from the operation of the Pagbilao Unit 3 power project in terms of jobs, business opportunities and comfort, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday during the project’s ceremonial inauguration. The President said the NPA should thank the proponents of the power plant project “because you can run all your machines or whatever you have, and your lights in the farm.”ADVERTISEMENTHe added: “But why don’t you just come down and let us talk. “It is a coal-fired facility that will be equipped with a flue-gas desulfurizer and is designed to ensure compliance with all pertinent environmental rules and regulations,” Alcordo said, refuting claims by environment protection groups that the coal-fired power plant would cause pollution in Tayabas Bay. Aside from the Pagbilao plant, Quezon province is host to the 1,500 MW coal-fired plant in Mauban town, along the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Another plant proponent, Meralco PowerGen had planned to put up a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-combined cycle power plant in Atimonan town, but converted the project to a coal plant in the absence of a government policy supporting the LNG industry.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 01, 2018 22:52 UTC