(Taguig City) – In its efforts to promote the local energy sector and update stakeholders on the current energy situation, the Department of Energy (DOE) will be starting the year with an Energy Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Forum on 17 January 2012 at the Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

DOE Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras, along with a team of technical experts from the DOE and its attached agencies, will present to stakeholders the developments, ongoing activities, initiatives, plans, and programs of the Department within the Energy Reform Agenda (ERA) framework. Potential investors will also learn more about investment opportunities in the energy sector, particularly in Luzon. An open forum will take place after the presentations to address any energy sector issues and concerns of the stakeholders and investors in the region. Further, there will be breakout sessions to provide greater focus on different issues such as downstream oil, renewable energy, power/electrification, efficiency and alternative fuels, as well as topics involving petroleum and coal exploration. Each group will be facilitated by DOE representatives and other resource persons from the industry.

The Energy Sector IEC campaign is open to representatives from the business sector, generation companies, private distribution utilities, electric cooperatives, ecozone locators, potential investors, power consumers, the academe, civil society and non-government organizations.