IPowered Communities: DOE Asst. Sec. Redentor E. Delola welcomes the participants to the public consultation on the draft circular providing indigenous communities the guidelines to access and utilize the financial benefits of being hosts to energy projects the ER No. 1-94 Program.
TAGUIG CITY - The Department of Energy (DOE) conducted a public consultation on the draft Department Circular that would guide indigenous communities on how to access and utilize the financial benefits as hosts to energy resources or generation facilities on 7 March 2019 at the DOE-Audio Visual Room.
The draft circular entitled, “Prescribing the Administrative Operating Guidelines for the Availment and Utilization of Financial Benefits by the Indigenous Cultural Communities / Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) under the Energy Regulations (ER) No. 1-94 Program”, is a follow through of the milestone policy signed by DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi last year, which recognizes the rights of ICCs/IPs in their ancestral domains, as well as their entitlement to the financial benefits pursuant to ER 1-94.
Sec Cusi said, “The proposed circular will streamline administrative processes, which would open up greater economic and social development opportunities for our indigenous communities. We are pursuing an energy development agenda for our country that is both inclusive and progressive.”
DOE Assistant Secretary Redentor E. Delola and DOE-Electric Power Industry Management Bureau Assistant Director Irma C. Exconde led the discussions with the participants, which included local ICCs/IPs leaders, officials of the National Commission on IPs, IP sectoral representatives from the National Anti-Poverty Council, Foundation for Philippine Environment, Legal Assistance Center for Indigenous Filipinos (PANLIPI), Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Alliance of Concerned Watershed Advocates, and other civil society organizations.
During the public consultation, leaders of the local ICCs/IPs expressed their appreciation and support for the latest DOE undertaking, which continues to champion their access to financial benefits as hosts of energy projects.
“The host ICCs/IPs’ receipt of financial benefits from the power plants located within their ancestral domain is a symbolic way to mark the 25th year of the implementation of the ER No. 1-94 Program. In addition, it further strengthens our commitment to boost their participation and cooperation in power development projects,” Sec. Cusi concluded.
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