An Open Letter To UN Climate Chief, President Of The Republic Of The Philippines, Secretary Of The Department Of Natural Resources

I love Palawn. It is my home, our home; the Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines. It is where the Underground River is located, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Nature. It is also home to the breathtaking beaches of El Nido, the historical Tabon Cave and other amazing natural wonders which have been featured locally and internationally. Whenever someone asks me where I'm from and I say Palawan, I always notice a feeling of awe and a bit of envy from the person I'm talking to followed by, "I wish to see Palawan one day."

It makes me proud to be a Palaweno. Who would not be? The city of Puerto Princesa was named many times and was included in the Hall of Fame as the Philippines' cleanest and greenest city. The beaches of El Nido continue to be admired by travelers including Hollywood superstar Rachel Weisz of "The Bourn Legacy." Remember the "I can live in Palawan forever" statement she said?

Photo: rappler.com

There are a lot more natural and beautifully created wonders the island is blessed with that are being enjoyed by local and foreign tourists alike. I hope these gifts will stay that way. Why am I saying this? Because just like people who love nature, I am so against the coal-fired power plant projects in the province of Palawan particularly in the Municipality of Narra. If this project goes through, I can see an imminent change; a change where peoples' source of food and environment will be put in danger. Well, not that I am afraid of change. I embrace change if it's going to deliver good in the long run. Unfortunately, the coal-fired power plant isn't showing any sign of that.

The world has suffered enough and continues to suffer because of us. We are literally taking everything from nature and, in most cases, we aren't giving something back. All of us can feel that the earth is getting hotter by the day. Ever heard of global warming? I'm sure everybody does. Global warming isn't friendly to the environment. It creates abnormal weather changes like strong typhoons. The culprit? Us. Science said that coal-buring power plants are the biggest source of carbon emission. These gases are poisonous, to say the least. If we have this in Narra, it's a sure death sentence indeed to the people as well as to the seas and farms.

I don't want to see the day when going to the beach won't be as exciting as it was before because the water is now a killer (sorry for lack of a better term). 

Don't let the coal-fired power plant wreak havoc to our island. There are many ways where clean and safe technologies can be used. Let's make Palawan free from this. Please stop coal-fired power plants!

Palawan is my home. It is our home. The next generation's home. The Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines. Let's leave it like that.

Local Resident of Palawan