THE Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) sees data centers as a potential “catalyst for clean power deployment and economic opportunities” in the Philippines. In a recent press release, the organization explained that for this potential to be realized, data centers must be co-located with renewable energy zones. This would lead to dispersal of investments and jobs to the countryside, where wind energy projects are usually located. Solar energy, on the other hand, can be maximized. ICSC has mapped “vast hectares of viable commercial rooftops nationwide.”
“Co-locating data centers with these commercial rooftops enables RE utilization without new transmission lines and supports immediate deployment,” ICSC said. (Feb. 16, 2026 press release)
ICSC is taking the optimistic view, seeing opportunities where some of us see threats and conflicts. First of all, are energy-intensive sectors such as data centers compatible with sustainable development? Offshore wind energy projects could affect the livelihood of small fisherfolk, while protected areas are being eyed as sites for onshore wind farms. Also, in the quest for attracting investments in data centers, the government may fast-track the construction of nuclear power plants. The future could already be here.
Pangasinan’s 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco, sponsor of the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, is proposing the construction of a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in the town of Labrador. Labrador is situated in the Lingayen Gulf and, with a population of 26,995 (2024 census), is the least populous town in the 2nd district (and the sixth smallest in Pangasinan). Labrador is ideal, according to the congressman, because the plant can be built in a mountainous area that is unlikely to be flooded in the event of a tsunami. The seawater, on the other hand, can be used for cooling the nuclear reactors.
Ample supply of cheap electricity will attract investors to Labrador, creating jobs and business opportunities, and more income for the local government of this “second poorest town” in Pangasinan. Indeed, a look at the 2024 annual audit reports reveals that the local government unit of Labrador has the second-lowest revenue in the province. Most residents depend on farming and fishing. However, while this may generate modest incomes, it doesn’t mean that the town’s population is mired in poverty. Most recent available municipal-level poverty statistics are from 2021 and show that Labrador, with a 17.3 percent poverty incidence among the population, had the third lowest poverty rate among the district’s eight towns. This was lower than the 17.9 percent average in Pangasinan the same year. The provincial poverty incidence dropped to 16.1 percent in 2023, with no figures yet for municipalities. This is, incidentally, the second-highest poverty rate among provinces on Luzon island, excluding the Bicol region.
Naturally, a nuclear power plant could spur economic activity in Labrador and neighboring towns. If this isn’t enough to convince people, there is the prospect of cheap, if not free, electricity. As a result, a majority of residents have expressed support for the nuclear power plant — in exchange for free electricity.
Concerned residents from the neighboring town of Sual have warned not to trust promises of free or cheap electricity. The cheap electricity that they were promised decades ago, when the 1,200-megawatt coal-fired Sual Power Plant was built, never materialized. The plant has, however, “boosted the income and employment rates” of Sual which — despite a relatively small population — became a first-class municipality in 2006 (COA 2024). Yet, the significant income notwithstanding, poverty incidence surged from 10.1 percent in 2018 to 22.7 percent during the Covid pandemic, the sixth highest among Pangasinan’s 48 LGUs.
Initially, there was no open opposition to the proposed nuclear power plant. However, last December, Alaminos Bishop Napoleon Sipalay Jr. launched a campaign against the project. After all, while areas beyond Labrador would benefit from the power generation and the economic boom it could potentially bring, these areas would also be at risk should disaster strike. Who hasn’t heard of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident? Or the 1986 Chernobyl disaster? The Philippines has no experience with nuclear power, forcing us to rely on foreign expertise. This will drive up the costs of both construction and operations. Recent experience with flood control projects also shows how easily safety standards are compromised.
True, having farming and fishing as the main sources of income may not generate sufficient revenues to provide the services expected and needed by a town’s constituents. It may not provide the income for families to adequately support their needs. On the other hand, with rising prices of basic commodities and food security being an important component of national security, one cannot also just dismiss farming and fishing as being inferior to other economic sectors. Climate change is threatening food production, not only in the Philippines but worldwide. We need to safeguard and support our local farming and fishing sectors, while protecting the environment that sustains life. Yes, we need a stable supply of clean, affordable energy, but the precautionary principle must still be applied.
