06/01/2026
An Open Letter to the People of Pangasinan
To the stewards of the Agno River, the keepers of the Hundred Islands, and the hands that feed a nation,
I write to you not as an outsider, but as a fellow Filipino whose heart is tied to the fate of your land. While my feet may not have walked your soil, my spirit is shaken by the threat that now looms over your home. The plan to place a nuclear power plant in Labrador is not just a policy on a page; it is a declaration of war against your legacy, your safety, and your future.
And you have every right to be furious.
They See a Site; We See a Homeland
To the engineers and politicians in Manila, Labrador is a dot on a map—a place with the "right" conditions. But you know the truth. You know which fields hold water after the first monsoon rain. You know the secret fishing spots in the Lingayen Gulf.
You know the spirit of your land, and you know that a nuclear plant isn't a neighbor; it is a permanent, high-risk tenant that can never be evicted. They are offering you "free electricity" in exchange for hosting a danger that could make your grandchildren's grandchildren curse your name. It is the worst bargain imaginable.
Your Courage Against Floods Will Be Betrayed
You are no strangers to struggle. You have battled floodwaters that swallow your harvests and climate-fueled storms that tear at your homes. Your resilience is woven into the fabric of Pangasinan.
Now, the same government that has failed to protect you from these floods wants to install a facility that would turn a natural disaster into a permanent, radioactive one. It is the ultimate insult. After years of pleading for working drainage and honest flood control, they offer you a existential threat. Your strength is being used against you, and it is a profound injustice.
The Shadow of Corruption Will Darken This Project
Let us speak plainly. We live in a country where trust is eroded by corruption. You have seen it. The promises that vanish, the projects that crumble, the funds that disappear.
Do you believe, for one second, that a project worth hundreds of billions of pesos—the most complex and dangerous ever conceived here—will be immune? It will be a feast for the corrupt. Every safety check will have a price, every material a cheaper alternative. They are not asking you to trust technology; they are asking you to trust a system that has repeatedly failed you. To believe them is to bet your children's health on the honesty of thieves.
Your True Power Lies in Your Sun and Your Wind
Pangasinan is not poor. You are rich, blessed with relentless sun and coastal winds.
The real energy revolution isn't in a dangerous, imported reactor; it's on your rooftops and your shores. Imagine your communities owning solar farms, powering your own homes and selling the surplus. Imagine wind turbines standing like sentinels of progress, not monuments to risk. This is your true path to energy independence—decentralized, democratic, and safe. The nuclear plant is designed to keep you dependent. Renewable energy is designed to set you free.
You Are the Frontline, and Your Stand Is Our Hope
The bishops of your diocese have stood with you, calling this plan an assault on Creation. The farmers and fishers, the mothers and students, are raising their voices.
You are not protesters; you are guardians. Your fight in Labrador is the frontline for every Filipino who believes our land is sacred, our food is life, and our future is not for sale.
When they say you are standing in the way of progress, tell them this: True progress does not poison the soil. True development does not irradiate the water. True vision does not gamble with a million lives for the sake of a power bill.
Stand firm, people of Pangasinan. Your "No" is not stubbornness; it is wisdom. It is not fear; it is profound courage. The nation is watching, and in your righteous defiance, we see the hope for a safer, saner Philippines.
With unwavering solidarity and respect,
Your Friend in Benguet
