Communities urge gov’t: Stop favoring corporate greed, enact strict environmental and energy policies for VIP

After nationwide protests against corruption from government and corporations involved in flood control projects, hundreds of community members from the Verde Island Passage (VIP) provinces condemned the exploitation of the VIP by companies behind the massive build out of gas in the marine corridor, and called for the national government to impose strict policies instead of serving industry interests.

The call was made during symbolic actions performed by church-based organizations, environmental advocates, youth, indigenous, and fisherfolk groups in Batangas and Mindoro in observance of the National Day of Action Against Coal and Gas. The mobilization carried the unifying call, Baha ng coal at gas, wakasan!

“As our country faces worsening floods due to corruption, we are also indignant with the deep-rooted abuse in the sectors of energy and environment. The VIP continues to be a hub for planned gas expansion, wringing profits for power tycoons at the expense of marine life and coastal communities. We strongly condemn the greed of gas corporations, and the failure of government agencies who enable this abuse through lenient policies that favor industry interests,” said Father Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of Protect VIP.

Gas giants San Miguel Corporation (SMC), Aboitiz Power, and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Energy (DOE) for joint-stewardship of the VIP on 2024.

The same companies – led by MPIC subsidiary, Meralco – hold a shared ownership of the proposed 1,760 MW Excellent Energy Resources Inc. (EERI) Batangas Combined Cycle Power Plant (BCCPP) Project, whose power supply agreements (PSAs) are under scrutiny from consumer groups over allegations of double-charging.

“Continued reliance on fossil fuels only benefits energy players and will only leave ordinary Filipinos in deeper floods, higher electricity costs, and further degradation to vulnerable ecosystems like the VIP. The DENR and DOE’s failure to act in public good by submitting to the interests of gas corporations is corruption in itself, and should not be condoned,” said Gerry Arances, executive director of Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED).

Fisherfolk communities in Batangas have long complained about water pollution in areas with nearby gas power plants, prompting a petition filed to the Court regarding unchecked pollution. As a result, the DENR and DENR-EMB in June released the DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2025-24 on guidelines on the designation of Non-Attainment Areas (NAA), two decades after the enactment of the Clean Water Act. However, Protect VIP stressed the undue leniency of the guidelines, which they warn will bring more benefit to gas corporations seeking environmental compliance.

“The DENR must show its commitment to protecting the environment, starting with enacting stricter policies on securing environmental compliance certificates (ECCs). The new guidelines for declaring NAAs falls short and is a disappointing outcome for more than twenty years of waiting. Such leniency will only make gas and other ecologically-destructive projects in the VIP to be more rampant," added Gariguez.

The DAO includes provisions that the group noted can be loopholes, including its limited scope to areas already designated as Water Quality Management Areas (WQMAs) (Section 3), a three-year monitoring requirement before an area may be declared an NAA (Section 5), and unclear provisions on how private groups can initiate the process (Sections 6-7). The guidelines also do not specify a clear timeframe for declaration of NAAs, which the group stressed might lead to delays in implementation.

“Ending fossil fuel dependence is a significant step for our country to have a fighting chance against the worsening climate crisis. We urge the Philippine government to adopt stringent energy and environmental policies, free from corruption and influence from power giants,” added Arances.

Several groups in Quezon, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Cagayan De Oro, Zambales, Negros, and other parts of the country also made unified calls to end coal and gas.

Fisherfolk groups, church-based organizations, women, youth in Batangas

Fisherfolk groups and coastal communities in Oriental Mindoro