TAGUIG CITY- Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi yesterday (2 February) said the Department of Energy (DOE) continues to explore ways to make sure that the long-term goal of reliable, sustainable, and secure energy for the country is attained.

“We have an on-going goal to achieve reliable, sustainable and secure energy. And we are doing our best to meet that objective,” Secretary Cusi told DOE personnel during the flag raising ceremony at the DOE Headquarters. The event was also livestreamed for employees who are part of the skeleton workforce as well as those who are on a Work From Home assignment, to uphold occupational health and safety protocols. 

“Let us start here at the DOE,” Secretary Cusi said as he urged the employees to be conscious of how they consume electricity in their offices and homes.

“We have been experiencing cool weather recently. As energy consumers working at the DOE, we must take advantage of it and use energy efficiently. Maging masinop po tayo sa paggamit ng kuryente,” he said. “It goes a long way,” he added.

Secretary Cusi reminded the DOE personnel that energy demand is expected to increase this year as the country restarts the economy and recover from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are foreseeing an increase in energy demand as we try to restart our economy. Thus, we are preparing so we would be able to meet the rise in energy requirements,” he said.

The DOE already started to convene the Energy family and the various power generation companies (GenCos) to assess the power situation in various parts of the country to ensure sufficient supply of power, especially in the coming summer months.

On 12 January 2021, the DOE met with the concerned stakeholders in Luzon. Separate meetings for Visayas and Mindanao industry participants are still being arranged.

“Among the greatest challenges of the government is the fact that almost all of energy supply, from generation, to transmission and distribution, is in the hands of the private sector. That is why  our collaboration and coordination with all the participants are very important,” Secretary Cusi pointed out.

Noting that Meralco has already started to disconnect customers who were unable to pay their electricity bills at the height of the quarantine restrictions last year, he said that the DOE team is already studying how consumers could be helped during this time.

“It is our duty to help people, especially during this pandemic,” he stressed.

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