Bishop Urges Dialogue Over P330 Billion Wind Project, Cites 'Corporate Greed'

A Catholic bishop in the northern Philippines is calling for dialogue and scientific study before a massive offshore wind project moves forward, warning that clean energy development must not come at the expense of coastal communities. The proposed 330 billion peso BuhaWind offshore wind project would place turbines in the coastal waters of four Ilocos Norte towns — Pasuquin, Burgos, Bangui and Pagudpud — an area long associated with the Philippines’ wind energy industry. “We call for dialogue, scientific study, and development that prioritizes genuine human ecology over corporate greed,” Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag said in a statement. More than 6,500 municipal fisherfolk could face economic displacement under the proposed 50-meter no-sail zones tied to the project’s offshore construction, according to the diocese. Mayugba raised environmental concerns, saying heavy underwater foundations and continuous underwater noise could disrupt fragile marine habitats in Bangui Bay. The bishop also pushed back against what he called recent misinformation about the diocese’s position, saying it does not oppose renewable energy or economic growth. “We are not anti-development. We are for just and inclusive development,” Mayugba said. “We do not speak in opposition. We speak in solidarity with our fisherfolk, coastal communities, and future generations.” “We are not against clean and renewable energy. What we uphold is that true ecological conversion demands that the pursuit of green energy must not come at the expense of the poor and the destruction of our local environment,” he added. He described the region’s natural resources in moral terms, rejecting the idea that they should be treated purely as assets for private investment. “The land, wind, and seas of Ilocos Norte are a sacred trust,” he said, adding that they must serve the people first, not corporate interests. The diocese said its goal is cooperation, not confrontation, among government, developers and residents most affected by the project, and that it remains committed to listening to affected communities and weighing the project through science, faith and moral responsibility. “We will defend our waters, we will protect our poor, and we will preserve our future,” Mayugba said.