By: Irene R. Sino Cruz April 09,2020 - 10:19 AM
CEBU
CITY, Philippines—Aboitiz Power hails the decision to allow communities that
host power generation projects to use their revenue share from these facilities
for measures to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
On
April 6, 2020, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued Department Circular No.
2020-04-00080, which guidelines on the use of host communities’ share in
electricity sales for hosting power projects, which is also known as the Energy
Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) Program funds.
The
said circular covering ER 1-94 funds enables the host-local government unit to
use their share to
manage
the effects of the pandemic, in accordance with the Bayanihan to Heal as One
Act. This includes the facilitation of mass testing by providing and
constructing facilities, as well as acquiring proper medical testing kits.
Aboitiz Power president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Rubio said this
development was a push in the right direction as it is expected to aid in
strengthening local government response to the ongoing health crisis.
“We
thank Secretary (Alfonso) Cusi and the DOE for this proactive initiative. We
stand ready to collaborate with them and our local government units (LGUs) to
facilitate the quick disbursement of these funds in the fight against
COVID-19,” Rubio said in an emailed press release.
The
ER 1-94 Program is a policy under the DOE Act of 1992 and the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA), which stipulates that host communities
will get a share of one centavo for every kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) generated
by power plants operating in its area.
The
fund can be used by host beneficiaries for the electrification of areas or
households that have no access to power, development and livelihood programs,
as well as reforestation, watershed management, health, and environmental
enhancement initiatives.
Aboitiz Power is currently downloading P146 million worth of funds generated as
of December 25, 2019 to around 130 host beneficiaries across Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao.
Another
P338 million from various Aboitiz Power-led generating companies, accumulated
as of 2018, is also currently being remitted by DOE to the host beneficiaries.
“This
is our contribution to the government’s efforts to ensure that all LGUs have
enough resources to help contain, mitigate, and eventually eliminate the spread
of COVID-19 in their areas,” Rubio added.
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