Published
By Myrna M. Velasco
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued modified guidelines on the labeling
of energy efficiency rating of appliances to guide consumers which products
will not result in exorbitant electric bills.
The initial products
covered by the DOE-underpinned Philippine Energy Labeling Program (PELP) are
for room air-conditioners (RACs), refrigeration units, television sets and
lighting products.
Department Circular DC 2020-06-0015 was issued by Energy Secretary Alfonso G.
Cusi on June 15. It repealed and superseded the circular on energy efficiency
labeling issued by DOE in 2016. This is in compliance with the provisions of
Republic Act 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) Act.
The energy department
said the labeling program on energy efficiency rating for products “shall apply
to all importers, manufacturers, distributors, dealers and retailers of all
energy-consuming products, equipment and transport vehicles.”
The DOE specified that
the initial coverage shall just be for appliances; while energy efficiency
ratings for equipment and transport vehicles will eventually be enforced
following warranted consultations and coordination with the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as well as the Department of
Transportation; and the industry stakeholders.
It will be the DOE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau (DOE-EUMB) that shall
be responsible for the formulation, promulgation, enforcement, review and
evaluation of the PELP policy; and it shall also spearhead the monitoring
activities to ensure compliance of all covered industry players.
For the appliances
being manufactured or imported and eventually sold to consumers, it was
prescribed that they must have the energy efficiency labels printed on the
products or on their packaging – and that any attachment of energy efficiency
labels shall be visible on the products themselves at point of sale.
At the level of
retailers, the DOE policy sets forth that the energy-consuming products that
are for sale in stores shall “have the energy labels attached to them on the
location prescribed in the Department Circular and are visible to the buyers.”
It was further
stipulated that “as applicable, they shall exhibit the energy labels in all
their publications, including the advertisement in newspapers, television or
leaflets and in all online trading activities.”
Failure to register and
comply with the energy labeling program and refusing to submit to on-site
inspection of the products as well as on required submission of reports, the
DOE said, shall be meted with fines and penalties.
The other violations
that could be committed by relevant entities include removing, defacing or
altering energy labels before the product is sold to the purchaser; failing to
provide accurate information or the provision of false or misleading
information; selling, leasing or importing products that do not comply with
minimum energy performance for products.
The energy department
further noted the labeling program guidelines shall be issued on a per product
basis, and these shall flesh out the administrative, application procedures, general,
technical and per-product requirement (PPR) as well as the procedure for the
monitoring, verification and enforcement of the labeling program.
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