Environmental groups oppose expansion of Aboitiz coal plant in Cebu

Environmental advocates are urging lawmakers and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to immediately suspend the permitting process for the planned 150MW expansion of Aboitiz Power’s Therma Visayas, Inc. (TVI) coal plant in Toledo City, Cebu.

The Save Tanon Strait Network emphasized the urgent need for congressional action and an investigation into the expansion, citing health hazards after independent water tests revealed dangerous concentrations of toxic substances in nearby waters.

The coal plant sits within the Tanon Strait Protected Seascape, the country’s second-largest marine protected area and a key biodiversity site home to 14 cetacean species. The strait also sustains over 2.4 million fisherfolk, making any pollution a significant threat to marine life and livelihoods.

“We are seeing an alarming amount of certain pollutants in its vicinity despite TVI only being in operations for the past 5 years, which poses danger to livelihoods and marine life,” climate activist Krishna Ariola of CEED stated, refuting TVI’s claims of a healthy marine ecosystem around its facility.

Scientific analyses have shown troubling results: boron levels in the water are four times above normal, sulfate levels exceed the baseline by 1.4 times, and nickel concentrations are nearing regulatory thresholds.

Bishop Gerardo “Gerry” Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos, who also serves as lead convenor of the Save Tanon Strait Network, called on authorities to address the plant’s growing environmental footprint.

“We implore our local and national leaders to hear our calls to investigate their operations and stop the expansion unit that Aboitiz is planning to add while communities continue to raise concerns not just on toxic pollutants but on the impact’s of the plant on their health and livelihoods,” Alminaza asserted.

Experts warned that even if immediate effects are not yet fully evident, long-term exposure to pollutants could cause heavy metal bioaccumulation, habitat destruction, and marine toxicity—endangering biodiversity, food security, and the sustainability of the fisheries sector.

Environmental groups are also pushing the DENR to act in line with a Court of Appeals order requiring the designation of polluted water bodies as non-attainment areas under the Clean Water Act.

Residents of Barangay Bato and neighboring communities have reported alarming health trends.

“Nakakabahala na sa mga nakaraang buwan lamang ay biglang dumami, partikular na ang mga kaso ng cardiorespiratory-related disease sa barangay Bato at sa mga karatig barangay. May pagkakataon na 11 ang namatay sa loob ng Isang linggo, tsaka apat ang namatay sa loob ng Isang araw. Ang suspetsa ay may kinalaman ito sa plantang nagbubuga ng polusyon na nakapuwesto sa gitna ng aming bayan,” said Nicolas Blanco, president of Limpyong Hangin Alang sa Tanan (LAHAT).

“Lahat ng binubugang polusyon ng planta ng Aboitiz ay dumidiretso sa aming pagkain, tubig at hangin. Sana isa ito sa mga isyu na tinututukan, hindi lamang ng mga kandidatong naghahain ng plataporma sa publiko kundi pati sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno na may tungkulin sa mga mamamayang Pilipino—eleksyon man o hindi,” Blanco added. TRACY CABRERA