RESPECT FOR LAW: Everybody is for protecting the environment, but, as our elders say, the end does not justify the means.

A Greenpeace vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, anchored just off the power plant in Pagbilao, Quezon, early Friday to protest its use of coal for generating electricity and, by their own admission in a press release, to block the unloading of coal.

In a dialogue with TeaM Energy, the plant operators, and customs and immigration officials, the ship captain identified as Michael James Ian Fincken declared that they were aware of their violating local laws but that that was how they delivered their message.

In reaction, TeaM Energy spokesman Greggy Romualdez urged Greenpeace to respect the lawful operations of legitimate businesses, and more importantly, the laws of the Philippines.

He said: “While we respect the advocacy of Greenpeace, we think it is not right for visitors to barge into our country and openly declare their contempt for our laws. Mr. Fincken’s statement is an insult to our country and to all Filipinos. Effective advocacy can be done within the law. We call on Greenpeace to respect our laws, and the right of legitimate businesses to operate. As much as preserving and protecting the environment is a worthy cause, those advocating it are by no means above the law.”

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‘WARRIOR’ WARNED: Lt. Cmdr Hostillo E. Cornelio, the Coast Guard commander in Lucena City, wrote Fincken citing the vessel’s lack of permit and authority to dock off the power plant. He said that the area is restricted and that the ship posed a hazard to navigation and obstructed other vessels.

The Coast Guard officer warned that if the Rainbow Warrior is not removed, the authorities will arrest and file cases against its crew.

Active in some 40 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific, Greenpeace has been campaigning against coal plants, citing the harm they inflict on the environment. The Pagbilao plant, it says, emits as much as five million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

On the other hand, TeaM Energy maintained that it has complied with all pertinent environment rules and laws, including the Clean Air Act and regulations set by the departments of Energy and Environment.

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COAL PLANTS: The Rainbow Warrior anchored alongside the ship Medi Firenze unloading coal at Pagbilao and blocked a bigger shipment of coal from the 223-meter vessel Sam John Spirit waiting nearby. Activists painted “Quit Coal” on its hull.

Greenpeace said: “The Philippines already produces 54 percent more power than it needs. We should invest in improving the power grid rather than expanding a coal plant that reduces our chances of preventing dangerous climate change.”

It added: “Burning coal is the single biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions, and a major cause of climate change. Coal emits 29 percent more carbon per unit of energy than oil and 80 percent more than gas.”

There are eight coal plants in the country, with a total capacity of 4,177 megawatts, or about 26.1 percent of installed capacity. There are at least nine coal plants lined up for construction or expansion: the 300-mw expansion in Pagbilao, 100 mw in Concepcion, Iloilo, 165 mw in Iloilo City, 200 mw each in Naga and Toledo Cities in Cebu, 300-mw expansion in Masinloc, Zambales, 300 mw in Olongapo, Zambales, 150 mw in Sultan Kudarat, and 200 mw in Saranggani.

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QUIT COAL?: But it seems the “QuitCoal” message will fall on deaf ears. Assuming it understands the problem, the administration has no medium or long-range energy program that includes the phase-out of coal. It could be that they have no intention of stopping its use.

Not a word has been heard from the Energy and Environment departments on how they regard coal as generating fuel. Its officials led by secretaries Angelo Reyes and Lito Atienza have not experienced being suffocated or stricken ill by noxious emission of dirty fuel.

On the business horror side, if coal were to be phased out, what would happen to the mafia lording it over at the National Power Corp. and their allies in Cebu and by the Pasig who make a killing importing overpriced coal and forcing it on captive power producers?

If coal merchants need an argument, they can always say: Coal must be a-okay. How come there are coal-fired plants in progressive countries, including the United States? (The Philippines has so lagged in research that it has to lean on the findings of supposedly more technically advanced countries.)

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OPEN ACCESS: Except probably for those who have had a family member downed by air pollution from nearby coal-fired plants, the main concern of the average consumer is the retail price of electricity, regardless of how it is generated.

Some of the factors forcing up the price of electricity are: cost of fuel, technical and administrative inefficiency, and greed and corruption.

After Malacanang failed in heaping all the blame for high power rates on the end-distributor, the Manila Electric Co., now President Gloria Arroyo is talking of other things, like “open access.” Consumers who use at least 1 megawatt (like malls and factories) would be allowed kuno to choose the producer/source offering the lowest price.

In her last Cabinet meeting, the President said: “I urge the industry players, particularly private generating companies and distribution utilities, to cooperate in finding solutions on how to implement open access now.”

But do not think “open access” will happen tomorrow. Someone may just be dribbling the power ball.