Climate groups push back against Atimonan coal plant anew, question project’s outdated EIA in Quezon provincial board hearing
Lucena City, Philippines — Quezon for Environment (QUEEN) and Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) challenged the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Quezon at a public hearing on Oct. 19, 2026 and emphasized the community’s more than a decade-long opposition to coal in front of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) and Atimonan One Energy (A1E)’s representatives who were in attendance.
As a result, Quezon SP’s Committees on Energy and Environment will draft and release a resolution requesting that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) ask A1E to conduct another Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
“A1E’s EIA is already more than 12 years old. They tried to revive this project many times, changing it from coal to gas, then back to coal. We are playing by the rules and regulations, and if they dare, they must renew and redo their documents. We are grateful to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members for acting on our Oct. 6 request to hold the public hearing. To the A1E and MGEN, we maintain our stance against destructive projects. We are standing by our people and environment. We hope that after more than a decade, your company will do too,” said Fr. Warren Puno, QUEEN convenor.
A1E plans to bid for a 900-megawatt (MW) baseload power supply contract with Meralco. A1E and MGEN eye this to revive the long-opposed 1,200 MW Atimonan coal plant. Erwin Puhawan, PMCJ Luzon coordinator, said the competitive selection process can’t be a truly level playing field since Meralco and one participating bidder, MGEN, are affiliated.
“We have been calling the attention of the public about the government and COALigarchs' collusion in coal insistence. The Quezon community’s long resistance to the Atimonan coal plant is one of the many reasons why the government’s coal addiction must end. If these COALporations keep pushing their dirty project, the community will push back even harder,” said Puhawan.
Last July, Quezon SP passed an ordinance regulating existing coal-fired power plants and imposing a moratorium on new ones. Ian Rivera, PMCJ national coordinator, explained that those that are still not constructed but still in the pipeline must be covered by the ban, and urged the provincial government to tighten the coal regulatory ordinance by indicating a planned and managed phaseout of the five existing and operating coal plants in the province and enforcement of a real ban on coal to include the A1E project.
“While we commend Quezon SP for continuously heeding peoples’ clamor against the Atimonan coal project, we challenge the provincial government to draw the line at the project. All the cards are already laid out to help end this project and prevent its revival. We have stood alongside subnational efforts to push renewable energy in their jurisdiction and teach the national government a lesson. We believe Quezon province can and will continue to promote genuine clean energy solutions by simultaneously banning coal. Planned and managed coal phaseout is the only way,” said Rivera. ###
For inquiries, contact:
Sheila Abarra
Senior Media and Communications Officer
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice
Viber: +63-991-669-2356
WhatsApp: +63-938-089-8327
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