GMA does not favor coal

I am in an annual ritual, a sentimental journey to Iloilo to be with my high school classmates in a Christmas Party. Ours is Class '51 of Iloilo City High School .

We always look forward to it with anxious anticipation. Many come from abroad, like the Deocampo sisters of Bacolod , Dolores (Mrs. Gordon Guadalupe) and Angeles (Mrs. John Irwin) who come home every December just to attend it.

The core group in Iloilo is still intact, although quite reduced. There is still businessman Pepe Layson, lawyer Ric Octavio, U.S. retiree Bill Agar, and our ever efficient and ever reliable Class Secretary Ben Ravena and Treasurer Linda Lorenzo Drilon. Ramon Gonsalvez used to be another active member of the core group. But he is bed-ridden now.

Linda and Ben are retired U.P. professors.

I have been alumni president of this class for many years now and I am always called the Dictator President. Every affair like this, I just “dictate,” “Pepe, you take care of the dinner and dance at Hotel del Rio. Ric, you take care of the lunch…” And they comply. I was not able to contact Bill Agar. Had I, I would have “dictated” him to take care of the breakfast.

Or the orchid king of the country, Bert Puentespina of Davao . But I could not reach him. But, I think they like me as dictator. Every year I always call for election and no one wanted me changed.

The secret is the camaraderie. And I believe I am also a charming dictator. There is another lesson here, people also sometimes want dictators. The Philippines might need one. Dictators get things done.

* * *

Just the other night, we had a Christmas Party at our Rotary Club. I was assigned to raise the funds for our two secretaries. I stood up and said I am a dictator, for the sake of our Club secretaries.

So, “District Governor-Nominee Edgar Sy, I dictate you to shell out a thousand pesos.” Before he could say yes or no, I asked the members to give him a big applause for his generosity.

Then Past Presidents Rene Depasucat, Nelson Lo, Elcid Familiaran, Ed de Guzman, Jun Alemany, and many more at P500 each. A big applause, too. Who could afford to say no? The rest were “dictated” to give just any amount. The total amount gathered was more than P12,000.

I thought they would forget me, but they did not. I was dictated to give the amount Edgar Sy gave. If you dictate you must also allow others to dictate on you.

On to my sentimental journey where we will sing the songs of our era like “Foolish Heart”. And we will sing also “The Way We Were”.

* * *

Let me go to a more meaty topic. The opposition to the coal-fired power plant is mounting. Proof is people are sending me information against coal.

One of those I received was quoting the speech of President Arroyo in Silay City on July 13, 2007. Said the President:

“Investing…includes building up our environment as a reflection of our commitment to our quality of life. People need to breathe clean air and swim in clean water…”

She adds, “In Negros Occidental, speaking of energy, the San Carlos bioethanol plant will hopefully start commercial operation in October 2008. And I'd like to create an ethanol corridor in Negros island from San Carlos City in the north to Tabla Valley in the south because ethanol, geothermal and those kinds of power sources are really much “BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAN COAL…” (Underlining ours.)

See, it's the President speaking already.

* * *

Then another friend gave me an eight-page speech of former U.S. Vice President Al Gore accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo , Norway last Monday. The award was for his strong advocacy on the environment.

Gore was at the “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro 15 years ago. He was also an active participant in the Kyoto Protocol ten years ago and this week, he is in Bali , Indonesia for international gathering to save the earth.

I quote a sentence on page 7 of his speech. “We need a moratorium in the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal…”

Gore warned leaders, and this should be re-echoed to our city and municipal mayors in the Ceneco area, never to allow our future generation to condemn us for not doing our job. It is our job to save them.

Then another friend texted me to read page B-5 of The Inquirer last Wednesday a news item that says Kepco-SPC is starting construction of the proposed coal-fired power plant in Naga, Cebu to produce 200 megawatts and to be completed in 39 to 42 months.

If consumers in the Noceco and Vresco area want it, we at the Ceneco area don't. And it is not only because of the environment problems but our main reason is coal will turn out to be very costly.

* * *

We still believe, a Ceneco-Kepco spokesman must meet with media together with Ms. Romana de los Reyes to openly discuss the issues.

The coal people have avoided this confrontation with Ms. de los Reyes. Romana, who I found out has a Ph.D. degree in anthropology. That's why sometimes I address her as Dr. de los Reyes. She's a darn good fighter. I envy her.

* * *

My guest at Feedback tonight is Briton Neil Honeyman on the topic of corruption.

Neil was a Commissioner in the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong . He has been a Bacolod resident the last 10 years.*

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