TAGUIG CITY - The Department of Energy (DOE), together with the European Union-supported Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (EU ASEP) and the ASEP-Clean Energy Living Laboratories (ASEP-CELLs), hosted an online forum on “Financing Modalities and Tools to Advance Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) in Local Planning and Development in Visayas & Mindanao” from 20 to 21 May 2021.  The event was also supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), USAID Energy Secure Philippines (USAID ESP), and the World Bank (WB).

The 4-session forum saw the participation of over 300 representatives from local government units (LGUs), academe, and the private sector. It tackled financing and procurement strategies and tools for implementing local energy efficiency projects aligned with the Republic Act 11285 or the EE&C Act, as well as  the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP). The topics covered the broader applicability of EE&C financing that the public and the private sector may explore in the Philippines, including the employment of renewable energy systems.

Keynote speaker DOE Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas emphasized the importance of multisectoral collaboration, saying, “We are asking for your commitment in attaining the goal of reducing the government’s monthly electricity and fuel consumption by at least 10%, as indicated in the Government Energy Management Program. This can be achieved through proper planning and aligning this to your fiscal initiatives.” He added “Rest assured that the DOE will continue to support your energy efficiency and conservation programs as we progress to a more sustainable future.”

EU Head of Cooperation Mr. Christoph Wagner also highlighted the greater need for inclusivity in EE&C. He said, “In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to have a more streamlined approach to our resources and to leave nobody and no place behind. Much of this has to be implemented at the community and the municipal level. We need to rethink our approach: how to reach out and work together, how to jointly define pipelines and priorities and how to determine the right financing mechanisms accordingly. The EU is happy to provide some support for moving in this direction.” 

A prime example for the importance of inclusive development is Mindanao. Home to 36% of the country’s farm area and producing 43% of the country’s total farm produce, the Mindanaoan energy sector’s diverse needs call for a truly localized, tailor-made approach to EE&C.  

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Assistant Secretary Romeo M. Montenegro explained, “We need sources of energy to add value to our agricultural productivity across all areas in Mindanao. It is imperative for us to be mindful of and efficient with our energy use. We need to be prudent with sourcing the right types of quality energy when and where they are needed, especially during this pandemic.”

Through its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), Section 43 of the EE&C Act expanded the scope of the GEMP to include all LGUs. DOE - Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) Director Patrick T. Aquino explained that “the overall goal of the GEMP is to reduce the monthly electricity and fuel consumption of all LGUs by at least 10%. The foundation for meeting this target starts with simple yet very doable acts such as reasonable air-conditioning thermostat settings and carpooling.”

The event also served as the launch of the updated handbook “Guidelines for Energy Conserving Design of Buildings, 2020 Edition.” Produced by the DOE with the support of ASEP last December 2020, the handbook aims to encourage and promote the energy-conserving design of buildings and their services with due regard to cost-effectiveness, building function, and the comfort, health, safety, and productivity of occupants. A digital version of the book can be accessed through the DOE website through http://bit.ly/Guidelines-on-ECDB. 

Further enshrining DOE’s commitment to inclusivity, knowledge transfer, and capacity-building is its recent partnerships with the Ateneo de Manila University, through the Ateneo School of Government, and the Local Government Academy. The tripartite agreement was instrumental in the development and implementation of competency-based EEC training programs for LGUs through ASEP-CELLs.

Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco V. Densing III concluded the event with a challenge to the participants, saying “Indeed, the success of these national directives lies in the able shoulders of the local government. Let us work together to make this a reality.”

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