Energy department holds workshop, consultation

Sunstar Zamboanga

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has conducted a one-day workshop and consultation on all stakeholders as it envisions coming up with a legalistic guidelines on the trade and use of coal in the country.

The workshop and consultation on coal traders accreditation and coal end users registration and membership meeting was held Wednesday at the Garden Orchids Hotel in Zamboanga City with over a hundred stakeholders in attendance.

Energy Assistant Secretary Ramon Allan Oca said the workshop and consultation aimed to address the concerns of the stakeholders in order to adopt guidelines applicable to all traders and end-users.

Oca said the guidelines should be balanced between regulations and free trade, citing the use and trade of coal should be properly regulated.

Oca also disclosed that they are planning to legitimize the operations of the small-scale coal miners to ensure they operate properly and in accordance with the law.

Extracting coal not in a proper way is hazardous since they just dig and extract without following the proper way of extraction, Oca said.

They also tackled the Philippine Coal Mining Laws, Rules and Regulations, as well as presentation of circular on guidelines for coal traders accreditation and coal-end users registration.

ZAMBOANGA. Energy Assistant Secretary Ramon Allan Oca (right) answers questions Wednesday from stakeholders who attended the workshop and consultation of coal traders and end-users. (Bong Garcia)