Members of Konsyumer-Negros and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)-Negros staged a protest on Wednesday, April 21, at the Bacolod main office of the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) to denounce what they call “coal financing.”
Grid Langco, coordinator of Konsyumer-Negros, said “BPI’s executives must know by now that Negrenses reject coal. We shun dirty energy as it destroys the environment, leads to health issues, contributes to climate change, and makes electricity costs higher.”
During the rally, protesters also cut their BPI ATM cards to symbolize their discontent with the bank’s policy.
“Civil society groups, sectoral organizations, the Catholic church, and even provincial government officials unite in calling Negros the Renewable Energy Capital of the Philippines. We will not taint our clean energy dream, not with a single coal plant and definitely not with banks with dirty, coal-contaminated money,” Langco stressed.
The BPI has yet to issue a statement regarding the issue.*