Quezon church, envi & youth orgs join forces for province’s RE future

Media Communications
Jun 22
3 min read

Lucena City, Philippines — Quezon Province Renewable Energy Convenors (QPREC) conducted a public roundtable discussion (RTD) on June 23, 2026 in Lucena City and solidified its path towards renewable energy (RE). The RTD was one of QPREC's plans from its initial meeting on May 22, 2026.

Together with the labor sector, QPREC gathered in Tayabas, Quezon and convened the Dioceses of Gumaca and Lucena, the Prelature of Infanta, Quezon for Environment (QUEEN), Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Kabataan Para sa Kalikasan ng Atimonan (KAPAKANAN), National Confederation of Labor (NCL), Tanggol Kalikasan, KATARUNGAN, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, St. Catherine Church, and representatives of other groups. They announced plans to hold the first Renewable Energy and Investments Summit in Quezon.

“The people of Quezon have been actively fighting against environmentally destructive projects in the province. As the ongoing multiple crises intensify, it is high time to push for genuine alternatives and solutions. The just transition to RE encompasses not only the energy industry but also society as a whole. We recognize that the problem is systemic. And we should take action, rapidly, for the sake of what’s left of our God-given environment,” said Fr. Warren Puno, representative of the Diocese of Lucena and convenor of QUEEN, one of the lead organizations of QPREC,

which actively participated in the RTD.

Larry Pascua, PMCJ senior energy officer, shared the province of Albay's experience of conducting an RE and Investments Summit. Lidy Nacpil, Asian Peoples' Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) regional coordinator, discussed the key principles of rapid, just, equitable transition to RE. Pascua and Nacpil were the main resource speakers of the RTD.

Quezon Province is one of the major corridors for coal-fired power in the Philippines, supplying over 2 Gigawatts (GW) of electricity into the national grid. Key facilities in Mauban and Pagbilao include the 460-Megawatt (MW) Quezon Power Plant, the 455-MW San Buenaventura Power Plant in Mauban, and the 3-unit Pagbilao Power Station with 1,184-MW capacity. These plants have come with significant environmental, social, and health costs to local communities.

Plans to further expand coal energy have faced mounting community resistance. Atimonan One Energy Inc. (A1E), a subsidiary of Meralco, is seeking to build a 1,200-MW coal-fired power plant expansion in Quezon. Local groups have expressed strong opposition to the construction of such a large coal facility, resulting in the application being stalled since 2025. In November 2025, QUEEN and residents from Atimonan filed a criminal and administrative complaint against Energy Secretary Sharon Garin for approving the A1E coal project.

“While the huge energy production happened in the province, 2,232.36 MW, all of the produced power is contracted to the grid, leaving the community to deal with the pollution, health, and environmental impacts from the operation of the five units of coal plants. The province has one of the most expensive electricity rates in the country,” stressed Ian Rivera, PMCJ national coordinator.

“The province has made significant progress in attracting RE investment, with numerous solar, wind, hydro, and biomass projects already in development or operational. These investments require clear direction, regulation and governance, coordination, and policy alignment to ensure they deliver on their full potential. Studies show that the province has at least 11.2 GW of identifiable RE potential from currently disclosed solar and wind projects, with actual technical potential likely far greater when offshore wind, hydro, and geothermal are included. It is about time that regulation and governance for RE projects be instituted, given the large utility-scale RE projects in the pipeline and the surge in RE applications resulting from the national government's energy crisis declaration,” Rivera said. ###

FOR INQUIRIES:

Sheila Abarra

Senior Media and Communications Officer

Philippine Movement for Climate Justice

mediacommunications@climatejustice.ph

Viber: +63-991-669-2356

WhatsApp: +63-938-089-8327