MEDIA RELEASE
31 May 2013

(Taguig City) In view of promoting energy efficiency and conservation in the country, the Department of Energy (DOE), together with the European Union (EU), conducted the second EU - Philippines Meeting on Energy last May 29 at the New World Hotel, Makati City.

Experts and representatives from different government agencies, academe, media, industry, private sector, and civil society in the country held productive exchanges during the event, under its banner theme “Energy Efficiency to Boost Economic Growth.”

DOE Undersecretary Loreta Ayson, in the meeting, assured energy stakeholders that the government is committed to providing sustainable energy to the people.

“We highly encourage both the public and private sectors to contribute to our energy conservation efforts,” she said in her speech.

The DOE implements the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP), and the National Efficiency and Conservation Program (NEECP), among other initiatives that encourage energy efficiency.

The GEMP mandates all government institutions to reduce their electricity and fuel consumption by at least 10% while the NEECP aims to make energy conservation a lifestyle among Filipinos to achieve energy savings.

EU Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Guy Ledoux acknowledged the role of energy efficiency in economic growth. “It is potentially a solution to the energy and climate challenges,” he said.

This was echoed by the Chair of the Congress Committee on Energy, Congresswoman Henedina Abad, who conceded the need for a law on energy efficiency in the country.

Meanwhile, ambassadors from the EU Member States Embassies to the Philippines were also at hand to present their respective countries’ situation in the field of energy efficiency.

This meeting is part of the EU-funded SWITCH Policy Support Programme that promotes energy efficiency and conservation as well as clean energy and green growth policies in the Philippines through a P180 million grant to the government.