ILOILO CITY (PNA) – The Department of Energy (DoE) on Tuesday presented its ‘Philippine Energy Plan 2009-2030’ to concerned government agencies and various stakeholders in Western Visayas.

Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said the ‘Philippine Energy Plan’ was formulated by the DoE and its attached agencies and the consultation, which is being held annually, was aimed at getting inputs and recommendations from various sectors all over the country.

“It is being done annually to make sure that the Government, through the DoE, responds to specific concerns of every region in formulating the Energy Plan,” he said. “It is based on the Government perspective but we have to remember that the private sector has a role in its implementation.”

The plan includes available opportunities in every area, especially renewable energy proponents.
Marasigan said that with the enactment of Republic Act 9153, or the Renewable Energy Law, he was optimistic that more investors would be interested given the good incentives that awaits them.

In Western Visayas, he sai, four on-going projects were already included in the Energy Plan.

These are the 8-megawatt Villa Siga Hydro Power Plant in Antique; the 23-megawatt Timbaban Hydro Power Plant in Aklan; the 12-megawatt plant by the Asea One also in Aklan and the 17.5-megawatt plant by Global Green Power Panay in Iloilo which will be utilizing biomass.

Marasigan, meanwhile, said that with the opportunities being stipulated in the plan, the DoE is optimistic that the power needs of the country would be effectively addressed.

“Hopefully we can invite the private sector to come in and implement what we have planned,” he said.

The DoE already conducted consultations in Mindanao and Central Visayas. The next stop will be in Luzon.

Said consultation, held earlier this week, was also attended by Senior Undersecretary Roy V. Kyamko, Assistant Secretary Carmencita A. Bariso, Climate Change Commissioner Yeb Saño, and Michael Sinocruz also of the DoE as well as heads of regional line agencies and local officials.