The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), along with residents of Barangay Ibabang Polo, Pagbilao, Quezon, and representatives from other environment-focused organizations, filed a complaint with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) over the weekend over the public scoping for the proposed Pagbilao 4 & 5 LNG-to-Power Project held on 6 May, 2024, due to its alleged illegality.

On 29 April, 2024, PMCJ received an invitation to attend the public scoping of the proposed project at the barangay’s covered gym. During the event, PMCJ and affected community stakeholders raised concerns about the legality of the proceedings.

"They were rebuffed by EMB and DENR-EMB Provincial Environment Management Office of Quezon," PMCJ Luzon Coordinator Erwin Puhawan said.

"It was an illegal public scoping that the EMB should have cancelled at the outset in view of the project proponents' (Therma Quezon Energy) outright violations of DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2017-015," the Complainant's Counsel Atty. Aaron Pedrosa said.

Atty. Pedrosa emphasized that the respondents are liable for grave misconduct, inefficiency, and incompetence in the performance of their duties. He highlighted several violations of DAO 2017-015, including unsubstantiated compliance with the prerequisites for conducting the public scoping.

“Hindi ito ang unang beses na di pinakinggan ng DENR ang aming mga hinaing at opinyon,” (This is not the first time that the DENR didn’t heed our concerns and opinions) Domingo Moreno, a resident of the barangay, said.

Ka Domeng, another complainant, recounted how their concerns about the Therma Energy power plant a few years ago were blatantly ignored.

“Marami sa amin ang nagkakasakit [at inuubo], mga bata at matanda. Hindi naman kami natutugunan. Kapag lumapit sa barangay, walang ibinibigay na gamot. Sinasabi nila ubos na,” (Many of us are sick. Our concerns are not being heard. When we go to our barangay [council], no medicine is given. They say it’s already out) Ka Domeng said.

"Ang lumalalang problema ng climate change ay isang usaping moral sapagkat ang mga mahihirap na komunidad ang unang naaapektuhan. Dapat igalang ang mga hinihingi ng batas sa pagsasagawa ng public scoping sapagkat dito nakasalalay ang kredibilidad ng mga prosesong hinihingi ng batas. Napapanahong papanagutin ang mga dapat unang nagpapatupad at sumusunod sa batas sapagkat sa kanila umaasa ang mga tao para protektahan ang interes ng mga mamamayan at hindi ng iilan," (The worsening problem of climate change is a moral issue because poor communities are the first to be affected. The requirements of the law must be respected in the conduct of public scoping because the credibility of the processes required by the law depends on this. It is time to hold accountable those who should be the first to implement and follow the law because people rely on them to protect the interests of the citizens and not a few) Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Ma. Villareal, Parish Priest of St. Catherine of Alexandria at Pagbilao, said.

The complainants urged the DENR to uphold its regulations by invalidating the public scoping for the Pagbilao LNG-to-Power Project held in May.