Published September 8, 2017, 10:00
PM By Kier
Edison C. Belleza
Cebu City – Energy Secretary Alfonso
Cusi said the country is witnessing “a paradigm shift in the approach to energy
development and energy utilization.”
Cusi made the observation last
Thursday as he spoke at the opening of the Energy Investment Forum and
Stakeholders Conference here. The conference was a follow through of the Manila
leg, which was held last July in Pasay City.
In his keynote speech Cusi
presented the Department of Energy’s (DOE) major initiatives to ensure that
there will be “affordable, reliable, modern and sustainable” energy in the
country in the years to come.
He said the government “will pursue
fuel- and technology-neutrality, balancing environmental concerns and
socio-economic growth through a competitive selection process to ensure
reasonably priced energy.”
This initiative will be coupled with
a three-pronged approach driven by three I’s – incentives, investments and
innovation.
Under the three I’s approach, the
government will provide the necessary support for players who want to invest in
new technologies that not only increase reliability, but also reduce emissions.
DOE had projected that the country
needs an additional energy capacity of almost 44,000 megawatts from 2017 to
2040, in accordance with the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2017-2040.
Aside from drawing up roadmaps, the
PEP will provide information to help energy investors formulate business plans
and strategies.
Among DOE’s initiatives is the
E-Power Mo! (EPM) Campaign, which outlines President Duterte’s energy policy
agenda with the following objectives:
- Develop and utilize the energy resources available to Filipinos for wealth creation and global competition (E-Power Mo!)
- Undertake safety and savings measures through energy efficiency (E-Safety Mo!)
- Secure the delivery of quality, reliable, and affordable energy services (E-Secure Mo!)
- Empower consumers through a wide range of options in utilizing conventional, renewable and alternative energy sources (E-Diskarte Mo!)
EPM is spearheaded by the DOE in
collaboration with the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the
Philippine Information Agency.
In the same conference, the
documentary “Lampara ng Pangarap,” which highlighted options in coping with
energy poverty using alternative energy technology and solutions, was shown.
According to Cusi, the DOE is
pushing for a policy initiative to attain a “disaster-resilient” Philippines.
The policy will be called the
“Adoption of Resiliency Planning and Program in the Energy Industry to Mitigate
Adverse Effects Brought About by Disasters.”
Major principles considered under
the policy include the strengthening of existing infrastructures,
implementation of the “build-back better” principle in rebuilding
infrastructure, improvement of operational, maintenance standards and
practices, as well as resiliency standards for new energy facilities.
It requires all the energy players
to streamline disaster risk reduction programs in planning and investment to
ensure the continuous delivery and strengthening of the existing energy
infrastructure.
Specifically, the policy will
institutionalize the Energy Sector Resiliency Compliance Program, which
provides engineering and non-engineering measures to ensure infrastructure and
human resource disaster preparedness.
It encompasses activities such as
stockpiling, system development and planning, response and recovery, including
disaster protocols.
To finalize the policy, the DOE will
hold a series of public consultations nationwide. The schedule of hearings is
yet to be disclosed.
Just recently, President Duterte
signed Executive Order (EO) No. 30 “Creating the Energy Investment Coordinating
Council (EICC) to Streamline Regulatory Procedures Affecting Energy Projects.”
Cusi said the council, led by the
DOE, is “good news” for investors since it will coordinate the efforts of
government agencies to speed up the implementation of major energy projects.
The EO instructs government agencies
to act on applications of energy projects within 30 days upon the complete
submission of requirements.
Another significant provision of the
EO is the “Presumption of Prior Approvals,” which will give the processing
agency the power to act on project applications that have all the relevant
permits from other concerned government agencies.
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