talkingpoints When Women’s Power is Wisely Used in Negros by Romana de los Reyes Tired of the pressures of urban life, I decided to quit working in 1997. I ended my more than 20-year career with one of Ateneo de Manila University’s social science research institutes which I headed for a decade. Going home to my birthplace, where life would be definitely less stressful, was the most attractive choice. But as soon as I came home, I learned about a coal-fired power plant that was to be built just some three kilometres away from my home in Bago, Negros Occidental. I did not know anything about power plants before I came home. But I knew the disease that blackens the lungs of coal miners. I also knew that coal power plants are not good for human health and the environment. Indeed, my subsequent research revealed that coal plants release a combination of toxic metals and compounds such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium that are deadly to human health. They emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that cause respiratory problems. Ultimately, they release greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) that are responsible for global warming. Moreover, the pollution that is generated from coal handling and storage and waste discharges Campaigner Romana The coal plant was proposed by a has adverse impacts on freshwater sources de los Reyes, now a consortium of three power firms—Ogden doting grandmother Energy, now known as Covanta Energy and marine resources. to Jacob Carl. (United States), ABB Energy Ventures In organising the Negros campaign against (Sweden and Switzerland) and Edison Global the proposed coal power plant, I drew much (a Filipino firm based in Hong Kong). of my resources from my formal education 42 Talking Points No. 2, 2009 WOMEN IN ACTION the other women leaders. The opposition campaign in Bago lasted for The coal plant proponents also resorted only five months. Crucial in this struggle to dispensing favours—actions that was the support of a woman with means. smacked of bribery. They “wined and Lelen Tabora had just built her house in her beachfront property, beside the dined” the village officials at the capital proposed coal plant site as she also sought city and beach resorts. a more relaxed life than that in Metro Manila. In Bago and later in Pulupandan, she provided substantial financial support and poured her creativity especially in in anthropology, knowledge of Philippine fashioning campaign materials such as t- social organisation and my work experience. shirts, posters, pins, flaglets, hand outs and My work at Ateneo was concentrated on information kits. local, self-organised communities that were able to manage natural resource systems. We Lelen also brought in the mayor’s wife, who also assisted government bureaucracies in eventually obtained the support of her supporting and strengthening these common- husband and other officials for the pool resource organisations. campaigners. The mayor enabled us to hold information campaigns in half of the city’s Combining these for organising meant villages in two months time. Thus when the reaching out not only to the poor but also to city and the Catholic church organised a protest the rich, not only to the men but also to the rally in January 1998, about 20,000 people women, not only to the people’s organisations joined, rendering the proponents of the coal but also to government officials. It meant power plant with no choice but to leave Bago. extending our hands to all churches, civic organisations, professional groups and other The campaign in stakeholders — all towards the goal of Silay took obtaining broad participation in the only two opposition to the coal power plant. months, thanks to the In the five years that we organised and efficiency of mobilised, the location of the proposed coal two women power plant was changed three times. With leaders, Emily the strong opposition in Bago City, the plant Jison and Erlinda was moved to Silay City, where the Ledesma. proponents also faced an equally staunch Coming from the opposition. It once more moved to elite families of Pulupandan, where the proponents finally the city, these accepted their defeat. women immediately organised and mobilised with the Catholic church-based organisations. A large factor of my full involvement in the They also managed to sign up volunteers who five year campaign can be attributed to the conducted a village level information independence of my only son and my campaign and joined the lobbying activities financial security. I had some savings to live with the city officials. In March 1998, the city on. But my leadership in the campaign heavily council issued a resolution that rejected the relied on the strengths, talent, and skills of proposed coal power plant. 4 3 On the other hand, the people’s struggle in The coal plant proponents also resorted to Pulupandan went on for almost five years, dispensing favours—actions that smacked of 1998 to 2003, given the mayor’s support for bribery. They “wined and dined” the village the proposed coal power plant that would officials at the capital city and beach resorts. be constructed in his family’s property. These expeditions emboldened the village However, the opposition movement called leaders to pressure their constituencies to say the People of Pulupandan Against the Coal- “yes” to the coal plant. The proponents also Fired Power Plant (PPAC), which was led by brought village, town, and provincial officials Ella Jacildo, foiled the mayor’s plans. to a study tour of local coal plants but such trips meant staying in a coal plant site for The unity and strength of the opposition were less than two hours because most of the time displayed during the protest rallies. In 1998, was spent for leisure activities. three rallies were held, bringing together more than 10,000 town residents, youths and Government elected and appointed officials groups at the town plaza. Three protest rallies and private individuals whom the proponents were also organised in 1999. In April a deemed critical for the realisation of the caravan of 41 vehicles traveled all the way project were given the prized gift—a trip from Pulupandan to Bacolod City. In May outside the country ostensibly to visit coal 2001, a symbolic occupation by plants, with some of them even allowed to about 500 people of bring family members. However, the trip was the project’s really a sightseeing excursion as those who proposed site was joined it could not provide data on the results done to emphasise of their coal plant visits when they returned the people’s continuing to the country. rejection of the project. To gain social acceptability for their coal plant While the Pulupandan project, the proponents provided cash or in campaign focused on the kind donations for various village and town opposition to the coal activities and projects including fiesta plant, each day of the celebrations, sports events, beautification campaign was in fact a battle projects, feeding programmes for children, against the corruption of and activities of sectoral groups such as the democratic governance. The youth, elderly, and women. Traces of the Battle Not town mayor became intolerant of any At one point, the companies found a patron at So Long Ago. Archived opposition, utilizing even the power of the news reports that suggest police to suppress it. the House of Congress, with the hope that he the momentum that the would hasten the construction and operations campaign against coal-fired Thus, when the information dissemination of the coal power plant through his various power plant gained and on the project started, youths who put up “connections” in the bureaucracy. Indeed, this sustained. posters expressing opposition to the coal patron pressured the Philippine Ports Authority plant were collared by the police and their to give clearance to the coal plant’s proposed posters taken. The mayor also made veiled port facility for handling coal deliveries. threats that the students would lose their monthly allowances if the coal plant would The media and the academe were not spared not be built. Grade school teachers were also as the proponent was desperate in warned not to join rallies against the coal discrediting the opposition. Scientists were plant lest they be sanctioned. called to argue for the benefits of the proposed coal plant. But many opposition 4 4 Talking Points No. 2, 2009 WOMEN IN ACTION leaders also had the know-how that linkages with international groups and non- challenged the technical experts, hence government organisations to bring our further strengthening the campaign. campaign to the international community. The climax in the series of the fraudulent It is important to note that our group activities for the Pulupandan coal plant was consciously decided not to formally solicit the granting of its Environmental funds from international donors so as to Compliance Certificate (ECC) in 2000. An avoid any controversies. However, we ECC is issued by the Philippine Department welcomed international environmentalists of Environment and Natural Resources who provided for their own needs whenever (DENR) when it clears industrial companies they joined our activities. operations from any potential harm that it might cause to the environment. The ECC Not having funds forced us to give from was recalled in 2001, after the opposition our own funds, hence we have a stake at the filed a motion that questioned its validity. campaign—we own it. Even the tricycle Throughout the legal battle, we were driver owned it because he gave P5 to P20 consistently present in the court proceedings, for every rally. closely working with the Office of the The financial support of rich families in the Solicitor General, that represented DENR.