DOE Conducts Visayas Education Campaign on ER 1-94

October 3, 2019

 

MANDAUE CITY, CEBU - The Department of Energy (DOE) conducted the third leg of the nationwide Information, Education and Communication campaign on the Energy Regulations (ER) 1-94 program at the Bai Hotel on 26 September 2019.

Under the ER 1-94 program, host communities of energy resources and energy generating facilities, such as provinces, municipalities, and barangays, are entitled to financial benefits of one-centavo per kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh), from the electricity sales of Generating Companies (GenCos). These funds could then be utilized by the host communities for electrification, development and livelihood, reforestation, watershed management, and health and environment enhancement projects in their area.

Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said, “To ensure the effective implementation of this program, I have directed the DOE to conduct periodic audits and reviews of the electricity sales, allocations, and remittances of the financial benefits to the host communities. We call on the full cooperation of LGUs, DUs, and national government agencies to boost the establishment of more energy projects in the Philippines.” 

During the IEC, DOE- Electric Power Industry Management Bureau Director Mario C. Marasigan explained Department Circular (DC) No. 2018-08-0021, which provides the amended guidelines and procedures of the ER1-94 program. Under the revised DC, financial benefits are directly remitted to the host Local Government Units (LGUs) and Distribution Utilities (DUs), which will fast track the implementation of community projects. 

In the welcome remarks delivered by the DOE-Visayas Field Office (VFO) Officer-in-Charge, Director Jose Rey Maleza, he highlighted the benefits to be derived by host communities from the ER 1-94 program. He also challenged LGUs to propose more projects that would have a deeper and lasting impact on their respective constituents.

Also present were other DOE-VFO officials, as well as representatives from GenCos, DUs, LGUs, electric cooperatives, and national government agencies from the Visayas region.

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