#EarthDay2025: Climate justice group calls for national climate emergency declaration, to stop power rate hike
- Media Communications
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Quezon City, Philippines — The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Pedal for People and Planet, Kilos Klima, Alliance of Unified People's Organization in Lupang Arenda (APOLA), and other organizations conducted a bike ride and mass action in Marikina City on April 22, 2025 calling for fossil fuel phaseout and declaration of climate emergency. After the short program, the contingents proceeded to the Meralco Headquarters in Pasig City where they condemned the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) power rate hike through a protest organized by the Power for People Coalition (P4P).
“As part of the sinking cities in the Philippines, Marikina, Metro Manila, Rizal, are some of the many areas that suffer from floods during climate catastrophes. These destructive and deadly floods are exacerbated by uncontrolled urbanization, migration, and economic concentration in megacities such as Metro Manila and Rizal. These are some of the many reasons why we urgently call for the phaseout of fossil fuels and push for renewable energy,” said PMCJ National Coordinator Ian Rivera.
The bike ride started at 5:00 AM from Liwasang Kalayaan Grotto Park and ended at Marikina Cityhood Park, where a program was held. At the Marikina City Hall, PMCJ also submitted a climate emergency draft resolution.
One of the issues raised was the rehabilitation of the Upper Marikina Basin – a call to stop quarrying and land conversion. PMCJ also called to end livelihood-disruptive projects such as the Laguna Lake Road Network (LLRN). In March 2025, the residents, together with the PMCJ and APOLA, successfully intervened and blocked the LLRN public scoping.
“The people bear multiple crosses every day. From bearing the brunt of the new normal aftermath of typhoons, shear lines, and other climate phenomena, to a continuous increase in power rates—we have had enough of projects that exacerbate the climate crisis. We see the glaring connection between all the atrocities of the giant corporations and government agencies to the people. This Earth Day, we are exposing their dirty tactics, we are holding the line,” said PMCJ Senior Energy Officer Larry Pascua.
Last week, P4P conducted a protest at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and called out the latter for their approval of power supply agreements (PSAs) that Meralco executed. P4P said this may drive up electricity prices and secure a monopoly for the power giant.
In an advisory, Meralco announced an adjustment as they hike the household rate by 72 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the month of April. This translates to a 144-peso increase in the monthly bill of a 200-kWh consumer. On April 22, P4P, PMCJ and other groups went to the Meralco head office to resound the people’s calls.
“Meralco’s Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGen) is known to rely on fossil fuels. For instance, Atimonan residents have been opposing MGen’s proposed coal projects, which the latter tried to turn into a fossil gas-fired power plant; and revived it in September 2024 as a proposed coal-fired plant. P4P said that the Energy Economics and Financial Analysis released findings in February 2025 showing that Meralco’s average cost of generation from gas-fired power plants has increased 15 percent since the introduction of liquified natural gas (LNG). Big companies like Meralco will do everything just for profit, even if data and testimonies of affected communities are telling them to stop relying on fossil fuels. With that, the people will do everything in our power to block them,” Pascua lamented.
In January 2025, the joint venture agreement between Meralco, Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower), and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) was approved as they finalized their $3.3-billion deal to build an integrated LNG facility in Batangas.
“If power distribution and generation are controlled by the same entities—for instance, Meralco and its subsidiary, Meralco PowerGen (MGen)---this would force them to purchase electricity from their affiliated generation companies at higher prices, which would then be passed on to consumers. We call on Meralco and other companies to end the reliance on fossil fuels and instead, focus on the just transition to clean energy,” Rivera ended. ###
#EarthDay2025 #StopPowerRateHike #EndFossilFuels #OurPowerOurPlanet #DeclareNationalClimateEmergency #ClimateJusticeNow
FOR INQUIRIES:
Sheila Abarra
Senior Media and Communications Officer
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice
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