(Taguig City) In its bid to empower the consumers and industry stakeholders, the Department of Energy-Mindanao Field Office (DOE-MFO) thru its Gender and Development (GAD) advocacy program shall spearhead the conduct of an energy forum on 18 October 2013 at Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.

Dubbed as the “Consumer Awareness Forum on Energy Conservation and Downstream Oil Industry”, the activity shall highlight discussions on the various energy efficiency and conservation programs of the government and on the basic framework of the downstream oil industry, particularly the liquid petroleum products (LPP) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industries.

As the energy sector’s contribution in the celebration of the Consumer Month, the DOE-MFO has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the City of Gingoog in the conduct of this forum to empower energy consumers with the basic knowledge and understanding of the different energy products and services including practical tips on its efficient and safe handling, transport, storage and utilization.

Likewise, the said activity was crafted towards enhancing the level of awareness of industry players and stakeholders regarding their roles and responsibilities and on the various energy laws and regulations governing the energy industry.

Officials and representatives from the local government units, academe, business sector, consumer groups, and industry stakeholders, down to the barangay and household level are expected to participate in the forum.

DOE-MFO Director Manuel Llaneza said that making the people more aware of energy efficiency and safety practices can indirectly affect their behavior and consumption pattern that may help address the current problems in the energy sector, specifically in Mindanao.