14/04/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18WzCkhVD1/?mibextid=wwXIfr
PRESS RELEASE
April 14, 2026
๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ-๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐
๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ
Caritas Philippines expresses grave concern over proposals to lift the coal moratorium and allow the use of lower-grade fuels as a response to the ongoing energy crisis.
Raised during a Senate hearing on April 13, these proposalsโdriven by rising global fuel costsโoffer what is at best a temporary fix that risks deepening a long-standing systemic problem. Our continued dependence on fossil fuels leaves the nation vulnerable to global shocks beyond our control, while placing the heaviest burden on the poor. When energy systems rely on these volatile sources, every international conflict quickly becomes a domestic crisis.
Coal is not a neutral energy source.
It pollutes our air, devastates ecosystems, and accelerates the climate crisis. For years, communities near coal plants and ports have endured these realities.
In Atimonan, Quezon, residents face constant threats to their livelihoods; in Zambales, families suffer from health risks and economic displacement. These are not distant projections; they are the daily lived experiences of our people.
We are deeply concerned that measures framed as "short-term responses" will lock the country into a cycle of dependence on harmful energy.
True energy security cannot be built on fuels that expose the nation to price shocks and long-term social costs.
Energy policy must not sacrifice the poor and the planet for the illusion of immediate relief.
This critical moment must make us move forward and should not lead us back to coal.
The Philippines is blessed with abundant renewable energy. Solar, wind, geothermal, and marine energy are not distant possibilitiesโthey are viable, present solutions. Investing in these resources will stabilize our energy security, protect our communities, and decouple our economy from volatile global markets shaped by war.
We call on the government to take decisive action:
โข Reject any expansion of coal dependence, even as a temporary measure;
โข Accelerate the transition to renewable energy with clear timelines and just transition frameworks;
โข Protect communities already burdened by coal and ensure accountability for environmental and social harms;
โข Prioritize the dignity of people and the care for creation at the heart of all energy policies.
When oil and coal are entangled with conflict, the poor suffer first and longest.
We urge our leaders to choose a different pathโone rooted in justice, sustainability, and peace.
Caritas Philippines stands with affected communities and calls on all sectors to safeguard our common home.
+Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza, D.D.
Bishop of San Carlos
President, Caritas Philippines
