In a statement, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said “the coalfired power plant’s coal stockpile is now scattered throughout the marine reserve and has already led to the destruction of marine reserves and massive out-migration of fishes.”
“For almost two decades of its operation, fishers in municipal waters have been experiencing worsening fishcatch depletion,” said Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap.
Pamalakaya also objected to plans to expand the coal plant, noting this would violate the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the National Power Corp. (Napocor), provincial and local government units. It said the MOA provided that “Napocor shall not construct additional/ future power plants in Masinloc, Zambales aside from the proposed 2×300 MW Masinloc Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant in Barangay Bani without prior approval of the people.”
Pamalakaya also said that through the decades since the power plant was established, local folk have been frequently assailed by foul odor, on top of skin diseases they attributed to ashes from the plant.
