Consumer groups and backers of renewable energy (RE) has expressed alarm over the Provincial Government of Quezon’s exemption of the 1,200 MW coal-fired power plant of Atimonan One Energy (A1E) from the local government’s ordinance for coal regulation.
The exemption through an ordinance, passed on June 15 in the middle of an energy crisis, was designed to regulate ongoing coal operations and prohibit coal expansion in Quezon.
However, Power 4 the People (P4P) has raised alarm over what it described as ‘unfortunate loopholes’ embedded in the ordinance and questioned why A1E was exempted.
‘Regulation to restrict coal anywhere in the country is welcome, yet the Provincial Government of Quezon exempted the A1E coal-fired plant despite the project clearly being a move to expand coal in the region,’ Gerry Arances, convenor of P4P, said.
The new ordinance is patterned after an October 2025 Department of Energy (DOE) advisory on non-coverages of the national moratorium on coal, which, according to P4P, essentially amounts to a withdrawal of the moratorium.
‘The government’s push to deepen coal dependence would perpetuate ordinary consumers’ vulnerabilities to high prices of electricity, unreliable electrical capacity, environmental damages, and health risks for host communities. Wasn’t it just a year ago during the 2025 State of the Nation Address [SONA] that the President himself pledged to address power woes? Yet here we have government bodies forcing more coal onto consumers and communities,’ said Arances.
P4P and its allied organizations thus addressed the Provincial Government of Quezon for allowing A1E to be continued despite community resistance and questionable compliance with environmental impact studies.
‘For many years, the threat of coal is clear – it worsens the climate crisis, it emits pollutants that endanger health and the environment. Why do we still want to put up coal in Quezon? Our call to our Governor and Provincial Council – if you are truly for the environment and health, listen to the voice of your constituents. Don’t make consultation mere formalities. And if it’s true coal has no place in Quezon, prohibit A1E. The environment, health, and the future have no exemption,’ Rev. Fr. Warren Puno, Regional Coordinator of the Luzon South Laudato Si Convergence, said.
‘The seemingly endless pursuit of coal must be prohibited. We must do away with piecemeal resolutions during this crisis. Let A1E be an example. Prohibit the expansion of coal and all fossil fuels to protect consumers against financial, environmental, and physical dangers,’ concluded Arances.