Yt Framework

More than 50 youth gathered and lighted candles at the Camp Cawa-Cawa Boulevard tonight in support for the global call for Earth Hour, an annual observance that highlights the need to conserve the environment.

Youth members of the Patriotiko Mindanao together with Zamboanga residents, most specially the youth, converged at the Freedom Park in Camp Cawa-Cawa Boulevard at 8:30 in the evening to show support to the global calPl
to switch-off lights for an hour.

According to Io Loraine P. Zerna, member of Patriotiko Mindanao Youth and convenor of Anakbayan-WMSU, the observance of the Earth Hour comes timely with the campaign of the Zamboangenos to oppose the construction of coal-fired power plant in San Ramon and Talisayan.

“The construction of the coal plant will greatly affect not only the health and the surroundings of affected barangays, but also Mother Earth as gases and fumes of coal is a great contributor to pollution
that leads to global warming,” said Zerna.

Another youth leader criticized public officials who promote the construction of coal plant as alternative to the dwindling capacity of hydroelectric power that causes the massive blackouts in Mindanao.

“The local government of Zamboanga should heed the call of its residents and should not favor profit over the health of its people and the state of our environment,”  said Nurhada Abdulkadir of Liga ng Kabataang Moro, also a convenor of Patriotiko Mindanao-Youth.

Since 2009, the national government has been pushing for coal mining projects and construction of coal-fired power plants for power generation. Under the scheme of public-private partnership, the government is aggressively privatizing facilities of electricity and energy sources such as Agus-Pulangui, and the coal industries.

Big families like Aboitiz and Alcantara corporations are tying up with foreign-owned companies for the extraction of coal and distribution of power generated by coal plants.

Patriotiko Mindanao-Youth is a member of Patriotiko Mindanao, a broad multisectoral and interfaith alliance of patriotic individuals, groups and networks opposed to all forms of foreign-owned, large-scale,
indiscriminate and destructive mining, logging and plantations in Mindanao.

The youth group is part of the upcoming People’s Caravan and Lakbayan against Foreign Plunder of Philippines’ Natural Resources which will take place on April 18-22 where more than 4,000 people will converge in Zamboanga City and Cagayan de Oro City to mark the Earth Day celebration.#