DOE Seeks Revamp of Electricity Market Rules to Enhance Competition

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The Department of Energy – Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (DOE-EPIMB) conducted a public consultation on the proposed amendments of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) Rules at Parklane Hotel, Cebu, on 24 January 2019. The event was attended by representatives from local distribution utilities (DUs), power generating facilities, local government units, the academe, and members of the media.

The proposed amendments submitted by the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) to the DOE in September 2018 aims to strengthen current rules on market surveillance, enforcement, compliance and penalties.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said, “We need to empower our consumers on their right to be informed on how and where their electricity is being sourced. Their ‘firsthand involvement’ will benefit the entire energy sector as we hear their inputs on the significant improvements of market operation services and competitive pricing.”

The recommended changes seek to strengthen the roles and functions of those involved in enforcement and compliance processes; harmonize said processes with the enhanced WESM design; switch from an hourly to a five-minute trading interval; establish procedures and obligations on the issuance of notices for market rules breaches; determine appropriate violation penatlies; penalty remedies; and the utilization of penalty proceeds, among others. The revision of Market Manuals which serves as guidelines for electricity trading were also presented during the event.

“Greater transparency on electricity market processes results to a faster determination on what is best for our consumers,” Sec. Cusi added.

The DOE is on its 3rd leg of public consultations for the amendment of the WESM Rules, with previous public consultations held on 15 January 2019 for Mindanao and 17 January 2018 for Luzon.

EU-PH Launches RE Projects for Energization of Remote Areas in Mindanao

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CLEAN ENERGY PROSPECTIVE: As part of the department’s policy in energizing remote areas in the country, the DOE and EU-ASEP delegation meet for the launching of seven renewable energy projects to our kababayans in Mindanao.

In above photo are (L-R) European Union (EU) Project Manager Xavier Canton-Lamousse, EU Head of Development Cooperation Enrico Strampelli; Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Undersecretary Janet M. Lopoz; MiNDA Chief of Staff Bai Norhata Alonto; EU Programme Manager for Energy Willy Hick; DOE Assistant Secretary Redentor E. Delola; and MiNDA Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro.

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the European Union (EU), through the Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP), launched seven renewable energy projects that would provide power to around 40,000 households in remote areas of the Philippines yesterday (30 January).

“Our goal is to provide electricity throughout the entire archipelago by 2020. These projects will bring more progress in Mindanao as thousands of Filipino families, particularly those living in far-flung areas of the region, will have access to power,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

Sec. Cusi added, “We have partnered with DOTr and the Malay, Aklan LGU in order to improve the public transport system for the tourists and most specially for the Boracaynons as a form of livelihood.”

The launching was led by DOE Assistant Secretary Redentor E. Delola, EU Head of Development Cooperation, Mr. Enrico Strampelli and Mindanao Development Authority Undersecretary Janet M. Lopoz.

According to Mr. Strampelli, the project awardees signed their respective contracts on 13 December 2018, right after the extension of the ASEP implementation period.

“Over the next three years, ASEP will continue to work with the DOE in improving the lives of vulnerable communities in the country,” he added.

EU will contribute €21 million to co-finance up to 80% of the projects which involve energy investments in the following areas: hybridization and income-generating activities through the introduction of productive uses of electricity; innovative provision of basic electricity supply and services for poor, disadvantaged areas; electrification for livelihood generation through the Solar Photovoltaic Home System in the Bangsamoro area; support to decentralized and mini grids; capacity building on rural electrification; energy efficiency measures; and renewable energy management.

The seven projects launched were:

• Strengthening Off-grid Lighting with Appropriate Renewable Energy Solutions (SOLARES): € 5 million grant to Mahintana Foundation, Inc.

• Improving the Lives of People in Off-Grid Communities in Mindanao through the Provision of Sustainable Energy: € 4.5 million grant to Yamog organization

• SolarBnB Microhotel & Island Livelihood Energizer (SMILE) - Platform: € 3.9 million grant to Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas ng Pilipinas, or WWF Philippines

• Renewable energy technology for seaweed value added in Tawi-Tawi (RETS): € 4.2 million grant to United Nations Industrial Development Organization

• Renewable Energy Access for off-grid Communities and Households (REACH): € 3.7 million grant to People in Need

• Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth (RELY): € 2.2 million grant to Sequa

• Clean Energy Living Laboratories (CELLs): Ateneo

Around 150 participants from the Philippine energy sector, regional and local government, civil society organizations and the academe attended said event.

BDO Foundation, NU Forge MOU toplo

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BDO Foundation-NU MOU Signing. Officers of BDO 

Foundation and National University sign a Memorandum of Understanding to develop simple accounting and bookkeeping modules for farmers, thereby giving them the opportunity to grow their business and, more importantly, improve their financial literacy.

BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of BDO Unibank, Inc. has partnered with the National University (NU) to further bring financial education to Filipino farmers nationwide.

NU, in a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BDO Foundation, has agreed to develop simple accounting and bookkeeping modules for farmers. NU faculty members will then use these modules to train the farmers in communities to be identified by the Foundation.

"Countless farmers still experience financial hardship partly because they lack financial education. They are skilled in crop production but they are not able to grow their business because they don't know much about the financial side of farming. They do not know how to budget or differentiate between disposable income and what should be plowed back to production. Because of this, they are always in need of fresh funds and become victims of predatory lending,"   BDO Foundation president Mario A. Deriquito said.

"With the help of NU, farmers will learn simple accounting, bookkeeping, and even budgeting and financial planning," Mr. Deriquito added.

Through this partnership, BDO Foundation hopes to give local farmers the opportunity to grow their business, alleviate themselves from poverty, and most of all improve financial literacy and inclusion in the country.

"This collaboration is meant to further develop the education that we provide our students, as it cuts across not just academics, but also research, and community engagement," NU president  Renato Carlos H. Ermita Jr., for his part, said.

Selected senior students from NU's College of Business and Accountancy will likewise be involved in the program, as observers during the training, and as researchers, who will monitor the progress of the farmers and the effectiveness of the training.

"We are very excited with this partnership because it does not only allow us to apply our academic theories in the real world; it also helps us develop our students into well-rounded individuals. It teaches them the value of helping their fellow Filipinos," NU vice president for Academics Rachel Roxas added.

Moving forward, BDO Foundation and NU will also collaborate on other projects such a capacity-building program for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in coordination with BDO subsidiary One Network Bank, a research project to support the Foundation’s financial education for public schools, and other similar initiatives.