In a recent press conference where the Philippine Energy Independence Council (PEIC) was launched, the group highlighted its goal of reducing (and eliminating if possible) the country’s reliance on oil imports.
Philippine Energy Independence Council
A group of energy advocates have banded together to form the aforementioned Philippine Energy Independence Council. Their main objective is to encourage the government and the private sector to explore new indigenous, renewable, and cleaner energy options for the nation.
Filipino consumers today can feel the continuously increasing demand for energy in the Philippines due to heightened infrastructure development and a growing population. The need to tap new sources of energy is now necessary and has become really critical in order to avoid severe power outages in the near future.
To address the situation, the PEIC aims to initiate and sustain specific conversations on indigenous energy, renewable energy, energy security, energy independence, and other pertinent concepts with rural communities, the youth, and local & national government officials.
“Every member of the PEIC shares the same vision of a more energy-independent Philippines that can produce its own fuel to meet the country’s demands—ultimately eliminating the Philippines’ dependence on other fuel-producing nations,” shared PEIC Chairman Dr. La Viña. He is currently an Energy Collaboratory Director, a Senior Fellow in climate change of the Manila Observatory, and former dean of the Ateneo School of Law.
Powertrends 2019
PEIC was launched during Powertrends 2019, held last September 3 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.
Powertrends is the longest-running energy exhibition in the country. It brought together the major players in the energy sector who exchanged knowledge and opinions about current energy issues in the country.
“In the Philippines, the twin factors of economic and population growth have tolled heavily on the country’s energy resources. And with the expected huge increase in demand for more and cleaner energy by our fast-growing economy, there is already an urgent need to create alternative energy sources that are indigenous and sustainable,” shared Paulo Gavino of Shell Philippines Exploration BV (SPEX), one of the supporters of PEIC. “
Consistency & Longevity as Key to Energy Independence in PH
PEIC aims to conduct roadshows and talks all over the country in line with their objective of moving public and private decision-makers to stand up, take notice, and work more aggressively towards energy independence.
The PEIC’s advocacy is anchored on three objectives:
- Address current and future energy reserve issues
- Push for better alternative sources of energy (such as renewables and natural gas)
- Synergize the public and private sectors to forge a path towards energy security
All these is aimed to eventually lead the country to energy independence
“The fact remains that our country needs a significant leap to explore and develop untapped natural resources in strategic locations in the country,” La Viña noted. “Energy security–the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price–should therefore be a priority issue in every policy discussion in pursuit of national development” he added.
PEIC is a collective of energy advocates who believe that the Philippines is facing a slowly creeping crisis born of a continuously growing demand for energy that may no longer be met by the country’s energy reserves in the future. The council is composed of business leaders and private individuals who share the vision of an energy-independent Philippines that is able to produce enough of its own fuel to meet its own demands and substantially decrease dependence on fuel-producing countries.
Know more about Philippine Energy Independence Council on their website and Facebook Page.
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