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Masinloc People are Winning
First Published: Reflections - Philippine Daily Inquirer Publication Date: 29th June 1994 Author's Name: Father Shay Cullen SSC "Corruption starts with the first bribe", and for many teachers in Masinloc, Zambales the three thousand peso "bonus" that was suddenly given to the public school teachers late last year by Governor Amor Deloso seemed just that. " I see it as a bribe to buy my support for the coal plant" said one. She and several others returned the money or gave it to charity. The coal fired power plant proposed by Napocor may be doomed anyway so strong is the opposition. The people see it as a threat to the environment and their lives. Resistance to the plant is now in its fourth year and the lack of social acceptably has prevented it from going ahead. Their failure of Napocor to get the required "social acceptability" -that seal of approval of the community which is an affirmation that the project is wanted and approved by the people has blocked their loans. This is a strict requirement to the Asian Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Japan who have promised to finance the power plant provided NAPOCOR can get the genuine approval of the majority of the people. Many a trick has been tried to get a semblance of approval. Resolutions by the Town Council, The Provincial Board and the Regional Development Board were hotly fought over but massive rallies and demonstrations against the plant were seen nationally and internationally as the real voice of the people. Only Last December 3 a big rally in Makati organized by the people of Masinloc addressed the issue directly. A huge vertical banner was lowered from the top of the Pacific Star Building in Makati to the ground declaring to the world in English and Japanese, " Stop Masinloc Loan Now". Masinloc has attracted the attention of social justice advocates worldwide and "Masinloc " could become another international issue like the Chico dam project of the Marcos era. The environmental movement has already supporting the people as Masinloc is a protected area. Signboards along the highway declare Masinloc Bay as part of the DENR's "Coastal Environment Protection" project. Pollution from the plant would endanger human health, the coral and fish populations, the mango trees and a wide variety of crops. The recent solidarity statement of Bishop Deogracias Iniguez Jr. and the clergy of the diocese of Iba reaffirmed their support for the people. They expressed indignation about the manipulation of Masinloc residents by certain officials . "We recognize the undeniable fact that the various schemes of coercion and incentives that have been brought to bear fully on the people of Bani and Masinloc have not convinced them, nor won over their good will. We condemn in the strongest terms possible, the utter brazenness with which the acts of deceit and manipulation have been committed by some Napocor agents, in cahoots with some government and military personnel, all in a "desperate bid" to project "social acceptability " of the ( Masinloc Coal Fired Thermal Power Plant) MCFTPP." Reflections learned that some of these "acts of deceit" were to surround local officials by armed troops in full battle gear and pressure them to sign a memorandum of agreement to the plant last 2 May 1993. The questionable claims of Napocor that it has purchased 90% of the land for the plant site already and even though Napocor has no loan money yet it offered to buy site land at P444,700 per hectare and offered to double it if the farmers signed by 31 October 1993. Another tactic has been to get the politicians on their side with a so called "development Fund" of P74 million, allegedly given by Napocor to Governor Amor Deloso ,Mayor Jesus Edora and barangay Captain of Bani, Leonardo Doma, according to the letter of the Bishop and priests. Researchers say that government officials have refused to show receipts. The Barangay Counsel of Bani issued a resolution questioning the payments saying none of it went to them. The bank's deadlines to cancel the loans to NAPOCOR have been constantly extended as the company petitions for endless extensions. The rules of the game are changed to favor NAPOCOR according to the campaigners. "The banks don't play fairly, they keep moving the goal posts as the people continue to score" , quipped Father James Laquidanum who has supported the people's position against the plant. But time is running out on Napocor as massive discoveries of oil and natural gas off Palawan continue and Philippine Shell firms up plans to pipe the gas ashore at Batangas. This more environmentally friendly natural resource is much more acceptable and cheaper for power generation than the polluting and destructive imported coal. The growing availability of electricity makes the Masinloc project more and more unnecessary and unwanted.
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