We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
Time for the Philippines to go nuclear
With the scorching heat of the sun still going on and the looming dry spell as a result of the El Niño phenomenon, more Filipinos are using electricity to beat the soaring temperature. Unfortunately, the supply of power cannot cope with the demand, so power outages have also become common. [caption id="attachment_167841" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Many Filipinos are increasingly unable to afford power costs, with the cost of electricity in the country among the highest in Southeast Asia. | Photographs Courtesy Of The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.[/caption] Many Filipinos are also increasingly unable to afford power costs. The cost of electricity in the country is among the highest in Southeast Asia, according to a paper penned for the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development. In the Philippines, the kilowatt per hour is $0.16. Compare that to Thailand and Indonesia ($0.10/kWh) and Malaysia ($0.05/kWh). At $0.18/kWh, only Singapore surpasses the country’s Philippines rates. About 50 percent of the country’s power generation comes from coal, with natural gas and renewables accounting for just over 20 percent and the rest coming from oil-fired boilers. The country’s electricity consumption is expected to triple by 2040 — from the 90.2 TWh (Terawatt-hour) in 2018 — due to the rapidly growing economy. It’s time for the Philippines to transition away from its reliance on coal. The adoption of nuclear power is the fastest option and would make electricity costs more affordable, according to the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. PNRI Director Carlo A. Arcilla said including nuclear power in the country’s energy mix would be beneficial to consumers as it would bring down expensive electricity rates and provide a stable source of power. Gayle Certeza, convenor of Alpas Pinas, a group that educates and advocates for nuclear energy, agrees. “We believe that nuclear energy will positively impact the lives of Filipinos because it will mean lower electricity rates that will better allow for more savings,” she said in a Daily Tribune feature. During the presidency of Rodrigo R. Duterte, Executive Order 164 was signed to include nuclear power in the country’s energy mix. Under the policy, the country “shall ensure the peaceful use of nuclear technology anchored on critical tenets of public safety, national security, energy self-sufficiency, and environmental sustainability.” Energy security The Department of Science and Technology supported EO 164, saying: “Nuclear power is envisioned to bring down the cost of electricity and to contribute to energy security considering the various limitations now being encountered in the other sources which includes natural gas, geothermal, hydro and coal.” The DoST is a member of the Nuclear Energy Program Interagency Committee, tasked to study the adoption of a national position on nuclear power. Nuclear power is one of two major alternatives to fossil fuels; the other is renewable energy (solar power, wind power, hydroelectric, geothermal energy and biomass energy). “Renewables and nuclear can complement each other,” said Arcilla in an interview. “Wind and solar depend on the status of the weather, and they only a 30-percent capacity factor unless you have an expensive battery.” Solar energy also requires one hectare of land to produce one megawatt. “This will become more challenging since the Philippines is an archipelagic country,” Arcilla said. Nuclear, on the other hand, “is more of a baseload energy, meaning it is more reliable due to its continuous production of energy. It could provide backup for wind and solar.” Threats and risks Groups such as the World Nuclear Association, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy contend that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source that reduces carbon emissions. But opponents, such as Greenpeace International and Nuclear Information and Resource Service, warn that nuclear power poses many threats to people and the environment, including the problems of processing, transport and storage of radioactive nuclear waste, the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation and terrorism, as well as health risks and environmental damage from uranium mining. Because of these risks, Dr. Art Romero, a geoscientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, California, emphasizes the need to conduct due diligence, technical hazard studies and engineering and safety reviews. If the Philippines went nuclear, where would it put nuclear waste? “It is very challenging to manage nuclear waste as it will last up to 10,000 years,” acknowledged Arcilla. “We need to isolate them from the human environment.” Arcilla suggests deep borehole disposal. “In the Philippines, we have the capability to drill up to three kilometers. So what we can do is to go to an isolated island, drill up to one kilometer, then we plug in bentonite.” It’s not the first time the Philippines will go nuclear. The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was built by Westinghouse during the time of Ferdinand Marcos at a cost of $2.2 billion, but it was mothballed in 1986 due to safety concerns and allegations of corruption, even before it could begin operations. During the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, proponents wanted the BNPP rehabilitated. But the project was projected to cost a hefty $1 billion. In 2019, a public perception survey indicated that 79 percent of Filipinos supported the rehabilitation of the shelved BNPP. In addition, 65 percent approved the building of new nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is the second largest source of low-carbon electricity today. With almost 500 operating reactors globally, it provides 10 percent of global electricity supply. It’s time for a rapidly developing country like the Philippines to take a second look at this critical power supply option. The post Time for the Philippines to go nuclear appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Dirty brew
Harmony with the communities where San Miguel Corp. — which gained fame for its renowned beer — has put up its energy plants is not what the company is projecting, as most plants have been the subject of massive complaints from residents. According to a survey by think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, most of the complaints are related to the effects on the environment of the projects. For instance, in 2017, communities and civil society organizations launched the Break Free 2017 campaign to oppose the expansion of fossil fuel industries at the project site of SMC’s Limay Coal Power Plant. Residents of Limay, Bataan complained of being exposed to the emissions of the then 300-megawatt, or MW, coal plant and the 140-MW plant of the Petron Bataan Fuel Refinery. The groups’ claim that the plant’s testing operations may have resulted in ash spills was found to be accurate by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which issued a Cease and Desist Order. Before SMC acquired the Masinloc power plant in 2018, the plant was already subjected to opposition, which led to delays in its operation during the 1990s. Environmentalists, farmers, and fishermen at the time staged protests, claiming that contaminated water from the plant would reduce the fish catch. The Masinloc power plant was then owned and operated by state firm National Power Corp. and was billed as the solution to the long brownouts that Luzon suffered daily. Using his emergency powers, then-President Fidel Ramos endorsed the quick construction of the project, displacing over 1,000 individuals in the process. It was then discovered that the plant produced over 385,000 tons of ash yearly, putting local communities’ health at risk. The previous owners of the Masinloc power plant claimed to have spent over $1 billion for its realignment to make it more environmentally friendly. SMC considered the power asset as allowing them to increase their footprint in clean coal technology. There were then also complaints from residents whom CEED said were directly impacted by some of SMCGP’s coal power plants. The residents alleged harassment and intimidation by various individuals for them to give up their properties. In 2016, SMCGP proposed to construct and operate its Limay Power Station in Limay, Bataan. A portion of the power plant site was thereafter fenced off by private individuals who claimed to have sold the property, and people were prohibited from entering or accessing the crops they had planted in the area. The situation was the same in Sariaya, Quezon in 2018, after SMCGP proposed the construction of a circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in the municipality. In Mariveles, Bataan, where SMC’s Mariveles coal-fired power plant units 1 to 4 will rise, residents found themselves ousted from the property they were living on, through rights, at the peak of the Covid-19 lockdowns by alleged landowners claiming the property had been sold. SMC’s mining business is also facing its fair share of opposition. Its Daguma Agro Minerals Inc., or DAMI, was granted a coal development and production operating contract in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat by the Department of Energy back in 2002. The contract included the 17,000 hectares of collective land that the SMC mining companies planned to explore. San Miguel Energy Corp. acquired full ownership of DAMI, which was owned by a group headed by businessman Ben Guingona. DAMI has coal mines in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, in areas known for being rich in mineral deposits. DAMI’s projects in South Cotabato were opposed by environmental advocates, the local Catholic diocese, and the host communities, due to environmental and encroachment concerns. DAMI uses the strip mining method, a form of open-pit mining that is forbidden by South Cotabato’s 2010 environment code. The provincial board of South Cotabato rejected a resolution that would have endorsed DAMI’s mining operations since it violated South Cotabato’s ban on open-pit mining. The provincial board, however, moved to amend the code and lift the ban. Local officials are now under fire as they kept residents unaware of SMC’s tree-clearing operations. South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., in response, vetoed the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining. The classic sound bite of the company of leaving no one behind is hard to discern from the way SMC treats communities it considers as getting in the way of its massive projects. The post Dirty brew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Games SMC plays
Manipulating the system, using its sheer dominance of the electricity industry with the huge generating capacity at its disposal, has long been suspected of business giant San Miguel Corp. Think tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development or CEED found instances in 2021 of unplanned power outages during the peak summer demand periods where SMC appeared to have generated maximum markups. Monitoring by the group showed that between 31 May and 6 June 2021, the Ilijan plant owned by SMC unit South Premiere Power Corp. experienced a supply shortfall that was augmented through the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market by SMC units Ilijan, the SMC Limay coal-fired power plant, and the Masinloc coal-fired plant. Later, between 12 and 18 July, Luzon was hit by yellow and red alerts due to another Ilijan failure. To its rescue came the same three SMC subsidiaries. When SMC Limay had a derating, Meralco bought electricity from SMC Limay and Masinloc through the spot market. The price at WESM, during a red or yellow alert, spikes which mean bigger returns for the suppliers and higher monthly electricity bills. According to CEED, in early 2022, the first of several outages occurred as six coal-fired power plants and one hydropower plant underwent simultaneous forced outages. At the same time, three coal-fired power plants and one gas-fired power plant derated their capacities on 26 March 2022. The electricity network operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines declared a yellow alert after 2,834 megawatts, or MW, were removed from the Luzon Grid. The most recent occurrence of outages was a red alert declared in Luzon by the NGCP last 8 May as two units of Masinloc Power Plant with a combined capacity of 659 MW went on a forced outage. The Masinloc coal plant, according to CEED, underwent unplanned outages seven times; the Limay coal power plant and cogeneration power plant twelve times; and the Sual coal plant counted 10 disruptions. Allegations of gaming thus arise, which the think tank said cannot be overlooked, “as major power players such as SMC continue to report soaring net incomes despite their power generation assets going on unplanned outages regularly.” A deep dive into the outages data showed that there were several power players whose power plants underwent outages or deratings, while their sister companies supplied electricity to the WESM during the same period. According to the CEED, the generation companies that contributed to the effective supply of WESM during the series of yellow and red alerts were sister companies of the power plants that had caused the alerts in the first place. The same gaming allegations were brought against SMC regarding the bidding for Meralco contracts. Two SMC units, SPPC, and San Miguel Energy Corp. offered very low bids for straight pricing contracts of Meralco which were designed to prevent sudden increases in electricity rates. Three years into the 10-year contract, SMC sought a revision of the terms with the Energy Regulatory Commission, or ERC, citing an increase in international coal prices and supply restrictions in the depleted Malampaya natural gas field. ERC turned down the SMC petitions and directed the company’s units to follow the terms of its contracts. SMC did not ask for reconsideration but instead went to the Court of Appeals where it promptly obtained a temporary restraining order which was progressively upgraded to a permanent injunction that stopped ERC from implementing its decision. In short, SMC got what it wanted through the Court injunction that threw away the regulator’s ruling and disregarded its quasi-judicial function. Using its vast influence, SMC was able to tear up contracts that it did not like without suffering any consequences. That’s what absolute big business power can do, to the extent of destroying government institutions. The post Games SMC plays appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Safer, stronger communities with AboitizPower’s mangrove projects
As communities feel the effects of a warming world, the importance of propagating and protecting mangroves stand out in the efforts to mitigate carbon emissions buildup. While already being able to sequester three to five times more carbon than forest trees, mangroves also do a lot more, serving as a habitat for various species in coastal ecosystems — hence, sustaining the livelihoods of fisherfolk — and as a protector of vulnerable communities against erosion and storm surges. In celebration of the International Day for Conservation of Mangroves, Aboitiz Power Corporation recognizes the tremendous importance of mangroves, as well as the exemplary efforts of its business units and stakeholders in helping conserve and restore mangrove forests in their communities. Quarterly collaborations In Maco, Davao de Oro, AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Marine, Inc. celebrated Philippine Environmental Month last June with another one of its quarterly collaborations with the public sector and civil society organizations in cleaning the coast and planting mangroves within its vicinity. “The first mangrove tree planting and clean-up drive took place in 2019, and since then, it has become a recurring event for TMI,” said TMI safety, health and environment supervisor Chrisyl Garcia. “By organizing these activities on a regular basis, TMI is able to contribute to the restoration of mangrove habitats and the overall well-being of coastal ecosystems.” “By conducting these events, TMI aims to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves and engage community members, volunteers, and employees in hands-on conservation efforts. The initiative has likely fostered a sense of environmental responsibility among participants,” she added. On that single June day, a total of 110 kilograms of residual waste were collected, while 550 mangrove seedlings were planted. Over the years, TMI's mangrove-planting and clean-up drive has consistently gained momentum, with increased participation from volunteers from the Diocese of Maco, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Philippine National Police, the 1001st Brigade, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office and local private company Gas Island Petroleum Corp. “These stakeholders have played a crucial role in leading discussions on how to effectively plant the mangroves. Their expertise and experience have been invaluable in guiding the participants on the proper techniques and methods of planting mangrove saplings. They share their knowledge about the ideal planting locations, appropriate species selection, and necessary care and maintenance practices for the newly planted mangroves,” Garcia said. This collaboration has enhanced the success and impact of TMI's mangrove-planting and clean-up drives, ensuring that the activities are conducted in a well-informed and efficient manner. “Overall, the consistent involvement of volunteers and leaders in discussing mangrove planting techniques underscores the collective effort and shared commitment towards the preservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems,” said Garcia. [caption id="attachment_162206" align="aligncenter" width="1536"] Volunteers from public, private and civil society organizations work together at TMI, not just in planting mangroves, but also in fostering strong partnerships and creating a platform for knowledge exchange and shared responsibility in mangrove conservation.[/caption] Adopt-a-mangrove Meanwhile, in Mariveles, Bataan, GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. kickstarted its own efforts in mangrove conservation by signing a memorandum of agreement with development partners for an estimated P7-million “5 Hectares Orani Mangrove Adoption and Protection Project” that is expected to start implementation in September. Under the MOA, GMEC partnered with the provincial government of Bataan, the municipality of Orani, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Tubo-tubo Fisherfolks Association to improve the existing conditions of the mangrove areas in the allotted five hectares for a period of five years, subject to possible renewal. “Through this initiative, we envision to improve the existing conditions of the mangrove areas in the province of Bataan, starting in the municipality of Orani,” said GMEC associate vice president for community relations Arcel Madrid. “Adopting a mangrove site is vital for coal-fired power plant companies like GMEC because mangrove forests play a significant role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration.” “With these efforts, GMEC will also help uplift the lives of our community partner, the Tubo-tubo Fisherfolks Association, by providing a sustainable fishing ground and viable alternative livelihood to improve their socio-economic status,” he added. In the longer run, GMEC looks forward to more mangrove site adoption projects and other corporate social responsibility endeavors that are aligned with local and national development goals. [caption id="attachment_162207" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Representatives from GMEC, the Provincial Government of Bataan, the Municipality of Orani, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Tubo-tubo Fisherfolks Association sign an MOA on mangrove adoption and protection.[/caption] Coastal stronghold At the coastal area of Punta Dumalag, Davao, the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park stands as a sanctuary, not just of pawikan (turtles) and rare bird species, but also of mangrove biodiversity. “It’s unbelievable how [the] Aboitiz [Foundation] has developed Punta Dumalag Cleanergy Park to what it is today,” said frequent visitor Cyra Quilaneta of Junior Chamber International Davaoeña Daba-Daba. “The highlight for us [in visiting the park] is the education and experience it provides our members and their guests, especially the youth. We get to appreciate the importance of mangroves by seeing its functions personally — trapping [coastal] trashes and [supporting] turtle hatcheries.” The team at AboitizPower distribution unit Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. spearhead the activities at the Cleanergy Park, which include educating students and guests by hosting tours, as well as assisting them with mangrove-planting. “JCI Davaoeña Daba-Daba, together with JCI Davao, is an organization that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly #14: Life Below Water. By protecting and restoring mangroves, we contribute to overall sustainable development,” Cyra said. To date, 18,138 mangroves have been planted at the Cleanergy Park. However, several natural and man-made factors have rendered its survival rate at only 30 percent. “While [the] Aboitiz Foundation and its partners have made commendable strides in mangrove protection, the task is far from complete. Mangrove protection requires collective effort to be effective. Mangroves face numerous threats, including habitat loss, climate change impacts, pollution, and unsustainable resource extraction,” Cyra explained. “To ensure the long-term viability of mangrove ecosystems, ongoing efforts are necessary. Continuous awareness, education and action of more groups and organizations is crucial.” “Sustainability remains at the core of AboitizPower and our business units have concretized this through their efforts in caring for mangrove ecosystems and the wider environment,” said AboitizPower president and CEO Manny Rubio. “I commend our team members for helping harness the collective efforts of the company, various partners and host communities in bringing us closer to our aspiration of a better and cleaner tomorrow.” The post Safer, stronger communities with AboitizPower’s mangrove projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BNPP remains energy beacon
Nearly 40 years after being mothballed, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, or BNPP, continues to hold the promise of freeing the country from the high prices and poor supply of electricity which was its goal when it was conceived in the 1970s. The BNPP has retained its disaster-proof features and is good to go for activation, Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco told Daily Tribune recently. Cojuangco, who has been advocating the use of nuclear energy for almost two decades, said the BNPP has been well preserved since the government completed its construction in 1986 or over three decades ago. These were his observations when he toured the BNPP in June. “The BNPP was built with all the necessary equipment and is even more technologically advanced compared to that in the United States which was constructed six years earlier,” said Cojuangco, who is chairperson of the House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy. The government continues to spend P50 million each year to maintain the BNPP. Cojuangco said he had filed the “Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act” to create an independent body that would update studies on the BNPP operation primarily in the aspect of safety. He stressed that operating nuclear power plants should not be of much concern to the public as advancements in technology have proved them safe and their builders and operators comply with the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Cojuangco shared that the US now has 96 nuclear power plants, while Bangladesh is expanding its nuclear capacity to over 1,200 megawatts, or equivalent to four BNPPs. He said that Turkey is also building its nuclear power plants with similar capacity. “We’re being left behind. Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom have also switched to nuclear energy. The US is also a highly developed country and their experience with the benefits of nuclear energy should tell us that nuclear power plants are safe.” Cojuangco said the technology employed for BNPP allows for the containment of a reactor meltdown through its metal protector and thick concrete walls. “The heat will be filtered through the space inside a metal container. Apart from this, there is a concrete wall that can stop even a crashing fighter jet,” he said, contrasting it with the Chernobyl plant which did not have such safety features. Cojuangco said the Chernobyl plant had no containment for the nuclear reactor meltdown. The BNPP was never operated after former president Corazon Aquino ordered further safety studies on the plant following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Shackles from imported fuel The use of nuclear technology to generate power is crucial for the Philippines as it acquires most or 75 percent of its energy from fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas and oil. These are mostly imported and their costs surged last year due to the armed conflict between oil-exporting countries Russia and Ukraine. Cojuangco said interest remains high among investors to revive the BNPP. South Korea approached the Department of Energy in 2017 to express its willingness to spend a “few million dollars” for a full feasibility study on the BNPP on one condition: the energy department must submit a letter of intent to acquire foreign assistance for the study. The post BNPP remains energy beacon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Exemplar firm delivering critical energy
Because the Philippines needs more energy resources, the country is almost dependent on imports of coal and fossil fuels to feed its energy requirement. Since 2021, petroleum prices have significantly increased because of the post-pandemic recovery and ongoing geo-politics tension in Europe with the war in Ukraine. The scenario exposes power consumers to corporate greed, with the energy market dominated by big players with eyes fixed on maximizing profits from their investments. Sounds fair. The same is particularly true in rural communities where Power is served by the more than 100 electric cooperatives nationwide, with higher power rates in Metro Manila. As a result, Congress did not renew the franchise of Panay Electric Company when it expired on 18 January 2019, paving the way for the Enrique Razon-owned MORE Electric and Power Corporation or MORE Power, which was granted a 25-year contract to serve and operate Iloilo city’s electricity distribution system. The decision brought relief to Iloilo consumers, with Sen. Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, boasting of the benefits experienced by consumers in Iloilo enjoying lower power rates. MORE Power invested P1.5 Billion to replace the ‘aging, obsolete and dilapidated’ power distribution facilities in Iloilo City. Hence, in its first year of operation, MORE Power managed to address the frequent brownout, high electricity bills, significant system losses, and other power-related problems in the city. Residents in Iloilo City experienced a dramatic reduction in their electricity bills. From the previous P13 per kilowatt hour, the power rate significantly dropped to P6.40 kwh, and this is one of the lowest electricity rates in the entire country. MORE Power’s effort in rehabilitating the power facilities had brought remarkable progress as they addressed the systems loss factor, illegal connection, power interruptions, and overloading. MORE Power is living proof that modernization funds will provide accurate and efficient solutions to the problems in the power sector. This glaring reality haunts the 121 electric cooperatives in the country, which practically have no funds for modernization. Their facilities must keep up with the current demand resulting in better service. The power supply crisis is serious and widespread in the country. The Senate Committee on Public Services and the Committee on Energy are conducting a joint investigation into the rotational brownouts experienced in Panay, Negros, Nueva Ecija, Northern Samar, Pampanga, San Isidro, and San Jose in Nueva Ecija, Calaca in Batangas, Quezon province, Tabuk City in Kalinga, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Ozamiz, Lumban in Laguna, Zamboanga City, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Echague in Isabela, Zamboanga Sibugay, Masbate, Davao Oriental, Southern Leyte, Casiguran in Aurora and Bicol. Most people ignore the problem unless the energy price shoots up and there are long queues at the gas station. During the Senate inquiry, Sen Poe pointed out that the electric cooperatives were being loaned with government funds. They were also given incentives to improve the service in rural communities. However, cooperatives still need to catch up with the demand. And this is unacceptable, for I could not fathom and comprehend why local government units still gave those electric cooperatives subsidies worth millions to operate. In the investigation, one essential thing has prevailed — modernization is necessary to address the decades-long power supply problem. Electric Cooperatives or ECs, are managed by the National Electrification Administration. Based on their website, as of June, NEA had extended P560.66 million in loan assistance to 18 Electric Cooperatives. But despite the large number of loans extended to the cooperatives every year to strengthen the technical, managerial capability, and financial viability of the ECs, the fact remains that their resources for infrastructure development still need to be increased and expanded. And because of limited resources, it is difficult for ECs to implement new technologies and innovations compared to significant private sector utilities with considerable financial resources. Hence, it is no surprise that the private sector has more capacity to implement immediate infrastructure upgrades, technological advancements, and operational efficiencies with reliable results and quality service. So one of the solutions that Sen. Poe sees is the entry of private players like MORE Power — for her, this is the key to improving the power service because of their large capitalization. The energy crisis is a complex and broad issue. Most people ignore the problem unless the energy price shoots up and there are long queues at the gas station. The energy crisis is ongoing and will worsen, despite all stakeholders’ concerted efforts. We must welcome all initiatives to manage the situation’s impact, including the privatization of electric cooperatives, because the Energy Regulatory Commission has regulatory oversight power to ensure quality standards and fair pricing and that monopolistic practices are avoided. The post Exemplar firm delivering critical energy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoE ‘slow walking’ on cheaper energy
The Department of Energy has been slow in making energy production sustainable and reducing the cost of electricity, which can be achieved by adopting nuclear energy, Rep. Mark Cojuangco told the Daily Tribune on Wednesday. Cojuangco, of the 2nd District of Pangasinan, said the country spends around $800 million on coal imports each year to generate most of its energy supply. On the other hand, he said, nuclear energy production costs only around $20 million which would result in 50 percent or more savings to consumers. “We should think of our balance of payments first. Nuclear energy has long been used by France since they decided to address the oil crisis in the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, their energy has been cleaner and their country independent from the OPEC or Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries,” Cojuangco said. Despite this, he said, the DoE has been “slow walking” in adopting nuclear energy. It should aggressively advocate lawmakers for the construction and operation of nuclear plants in the country, starting with the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, he stressed. “They are saying 2,500 megawatts of power by 2032 in the country, but they are not saying how they’re going to get there. There should be a firm vision in place that the Congress should make an official energy policy,” Cojuangco said. He noted that the DoE had commissioned a survey that revealed that 79 percent of Filipinos were being hurt by the high energy prices and believed the government should resolve this. “DoE has been exploring alternative energy sources for 37 years, yet energy prices are still expensive. It’s time to adopt nuclear energy which can be produced through the BNPP. As consumers, we have the social license to alert the government and demand affordable energy,” he said. The BNPP had not been activated since former president Corazon Aquino ordered further studies on the safety of nuclear power plants in 1986, following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Cojuangco, however, said nuclear power plants are safe as they are inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency. To ensure enough energy supply, he said the country should be producing 1,000 megawatts through nuclear energy each year to achieve an additional 16,000 megawatts by 2045. Currently, he said, the country gets 75 percent of its energy from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil to generate 16,000 megawatts. He cautioned, however, that reserves from these traditional sources are thinning, including the Malampaya natural gas field in Palawan, amid projections of a fast-growing population. “Twenty percent of the energy from fossil fuels comes from Malampaya, and the National Economic and Development Authority said we need to double our 22,000-megawatt capacity by 2040,” he added. The post DoE ‘slow walking’ on cheaper energy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CA conundrum
What gives in the recent Court of Appeals decision that effectively emasculated the Energy Regulatory Commission? The ruling, in effect, said SMC was correct in its petition to the ERC asserting a “change in circumstance” to allow it to set aside the fixed-price provision in its contract with Meralco. Moreover, the ruling favored SMC’s claim that the adjustment would result in the least electricity cost, which was the conglomerate’s contention when it filed the petition with ERC. In its plea, SMC’s power units sought a 30 to 34 centavos per kilowatt hour increase in the rate it charged Meralco. Meralco as the electricity distributor then passes on the cost to consumers in their monthly bills. The court in its decision weighed the impact of the various options and favored the one that SMC proffered as having the most benefit to consumers. The ERC in its October decision dismissing the petitions of SMC arms, South Premiere Power Corp. and San Miguel Energy Corp., cited the straight pricing scheme in the power supply agreements of both firms with Meralco. SMC, instead of petitioning ERC for a review, went straight to the Court of Appeals to seek temporary restraining orders for both SPPC and SMEC. The CA through its 13th Division promptly issued a TRO on SPPC which in effect suspended its contract with Meralco, as SMC had warned if the ERC did not go along with its wish for a price adjustment. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. then urged the court to review the TRO, fearing that it would result in higher electricity bills. The CA’s 16th Division then rejected the TRO petition of SMEC but allowed the consolidation of the cases with the 13th Division, which issued a ruling later upgrading the SPPC TRO into a writ of preliminary injunction. The latest 13th Division ruling was the provision of permanent injunctions to both SMEC and SPPC. Going by the principle of honoring contracts, ERC, as the regulator, needed to enforce the fixed-price provision in the PSAs which covered about 1 gigawatt of electricity supply to Meralco. SMC in the deliberations with the ERC said that it had been hemorrhaging money — P15 billion since 2021 from operating the Sual coal and the Ilijan natural gas power facilities amid high global coal prices and unilateral natural gas supply restrictions from Malampaya. The CA’s ruling overturned the ERC and thus allowed SMC to recover its claimed losses by passing it on to consumers. SMC can also seek new adjustments retroactively from the time that it was considered to have been affected by the high global prices and natural gas supply restrictions, based on the rulig. The CA decision would have the immediate effect of a likely price increase since the PSA would be terminated, forcing Meralco to buy electricity from the spot market. The ultimate effect of the CA decision, however, would be to weaken the regulatory function of the ERC since it will set a precedent for parties in a contract to undermine the regulator’s decision by going directly to the CA. The ERC, thus, is fighting to uphold its function under the Electricity Power Industry Reform Act or Epira with its vow to appeal the CA decision in the Supreme Court. “The decision is not yet final and we will still file a motion for reconsideration. If granted, that's another discussion. If denied, we will go all the way to the Supreme Court,” said ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta. It is indeed disconcerting that businesses that can pull all the strings overstep the rules, including the sanctity of contracts, aided by the court. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra in defending the ERC said the CA’s 13th Division “violated the separation of powers and overstepped its boundaries when it directed the parties (SMC and Meralco) to enter into good faith negotiations” on the PSA of SPPC. He said that the 25 January resolution granting the writ of preliminary injunction and issuing the directive to renegotiate the terms of the contract “impinges on the executive jurisdiction of both the Department of Energy and respondent ERC.” Guevarra said that a renegotiation “was not even prayed for in the petition.” The $64,000 question is what prompted the CA to go out of its way to favor SMC despite the business behemoth effectively breaching its contracts with Meralco. The post CA conundrum appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Prioritize the poor, bring gov’t services closer to needy
For many of our fellow Filipinos who can barely afford their daily expenses, getting treated in a hospital is oftentimes a burdensome choice that they resort to only if it is a matter of life and death. Usually, our struggling kababayans choose to endure their illness for fear of falling deeper into debt due to huge hospital bills, medicines and other expenses. And by this time, an ordinary disease has already become a serious medical condition. Their plight is what inspired us to initiate the Malasakit Centers program in 2018 which provides one-stop shops where our indigent patients may more conveniently access medical assistance from the government. By bringing together programs of various government agencies under one roof, such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the centers streamline the process of availing medical assistance. I have been appealing to officials and workers in the health sector to prioritize the needs of the poor, especially in public health facilities since these patients have nowhere else to turn to but to seek the help of their government. I also appeal to all hospital staff to be patient and compassionate in guiding Filipinos, particularly the poor, so that they can properly have access to the services offered by our public hospitals and from the medical assistance programs available in any of our 158 Malasakit Centers nationwide. That is why as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and as the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, I make time to personally check on the operations of our Malasakit Centers across the country, in addition to attending the groundbreaking of Super Health Centers and leading our usual relief distributions for Filipinos in need. On 16 June, I conducted a monitoring visit to two Malasakit Centers in Leyte, where I was honored to be declared as an adopted son of the province through Resolution 2020-337 passed on 24 April 2020 and formally granted on 16 June by the provincial government. During the visit, I recognized the efforts of Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla, Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos “Boying” Cari and Vice Mayor Ernesto Butawan, Vice Governor Sandy Javier, Cong. Carl Cari, Cong. Karen Javier, Board Member Carlo Loreto, and other officials for their commitment to bringing government services closer to their constituents. I also visited the Malasakit Center at Baybay City Immaculate Conception Hospital where we assisted 30 out-patients, 140 in-patients, and 192 front liners, while the DSWD extended financial aid to qualified in-patients. We likewise inspected the Super Health Center and the new boardwalk in the city which I supported to help the community. I then checked on the operations of the Malasakit Center at Ormoc District Hospital in Ormoc City. We also assisted 283 patients and 211 front liners in the hospital, while 133 qualified inpatients received additional assistance from the DSWD. Following this, I led a relief operation for 1,065 struggling residents in the city and attended the ribbon-cutting of the newly constructed pentathlon facility with a dedicated fencing hall, among others — a project I supported as Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance and as Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, together with the local government led by Cong. Richard Gomez and Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez. Earlier that week, I was in Davao del Norte to participate in the celebration of the first anniversary of an insurgency-free Davao del Norte led by Gov. Edwin Jubahib, held in Tagum City on 13 June. I also personally spearheaded a relief operation for 1,500 struggling residents in the city. Simultaneously, we provided more support to the community in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment which held an orientation for temporary employment to 721 individuals. Following this, I visited the town of Carmen with Mayor Leony Bahague to witness the groundbreaking of its Super Health Center and provide aid to 1,666 more indigents. On 15 June, I was in Quezon City with my team to witness the inauguration of two multipurpose buildings in Barangays Commonwealth and Payatas which I also supported for funding together with Councilor Mikey Belmonte. We likewise aided a thousand indigents in the city with Mayor Joy Belmonte. We then headed to Marikina City to assist 3,000 more struggling residents from Marikina City and the towns of San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal, together with Congresswoman Maan Teodoro and Mayor Marcy Teodoro; as well as the local officials from both towns in Rizal, such as Rodriguez Mayor Ronnie Evangelista and San Mateo Mayor Bartolome “Omie” Rivera Jr., among others. We also visited North Cotabato on 17 June, where we celebrated the 54th Araw ng Alamada led by Mayor Jesus Sacdalan and Cong. Joel Sacdalan and helped 840 farmers and 1,500 struggling residents in the town before going to Matalam to witness aspiring athletes in the Serbisyong Totoo Basketball Sports Clinic and to lead another distribution activity for 1,318 more residents from various sectors together with Gov. Lala Taliño-Mendoza. Across the country, my team aided indigent families and various sectors, including 136 in Samal, 33 in Balanga, and 82 in Limay, Bataan; 990 in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur; 150 in Damulog, Bukidnon; 350 in Iligan City; 100 in Tubod, Lanao del Norte; 550 in Malinao and Sto. Domingo, Albay; and two fire-hit households in Carcar City, Cebu. My team also attended the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Tiguma, Pagadian City. It is the fundamental right of every Filipino to receive proper medical care and social assistance from our government. I hope that with compassion for our struggling kababayans and the persistence to help uplift their lives, we can collectively ensure that the poor and most needy are not neglected as we continue our pursuit for progress and development. The post Prioritize the poor, bring gov’t services closer to needy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Meralco rates up anew in June
Customers of the Manila Electric Company, or Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor, should brace for about a 42-centavo increase in their power bills this June. The company announced Thursday that the overall rate for a typical household increased this month to P11.91 per kilowatt-hour, or kWh from May’s P11.49 per kWh. For residential customers consuming 200 kWh, the adjustment is equivalent to an increase of around P84 in their total electricity bill. Meralco attributed the rate increase to the completion of the last distribution-related refund in May, which was equivalent to P0.86 per kWh for residential customers. “These refunds benefited Meralco’s customers over the past two years as these helped temper increases in electricity bills at a time of financial distress and uncertainty for many,” Meralco Head of Regulatory Management Office Atty. Jose Ronald V. Valles said. From March 2021 until May, Meralco implemented four Distribution Rate True-Up adjustments totaling P48.3 billion which translated to about P1.80 per kWh refund for residential customers. According to Meralco, the rate increase would have been higher if not for the generation charge, which went down by P0.41 per kWh from P7.66 per kWh in May to P7.25 per kWh this month due to lower costs from its Power Supply Agreements and Independent Power Producers. Charges from PSAs and IPPs decreased by P0.58 and P0.58 per kWh, respectively, mainly due to improved average plant dispatch and lower coal prices. The share of the PSAs and IPPs in Meralco’s energy requirements during the period went up to 50 percent and 38 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the spot market energy share was lower at 12 percent. The post Meralco rates up anew in June appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ignore loose cannons
Filibusters, obstructionists, and rabble-rousers have indicated plans to gang up on the Maharlika Investment Fund bill once President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signs it into law by challenging the measure before the Supreme Court. A left-wing party list said it “will definitely” challenge it by questioning the constitutionality of the MIF bill, on the grounds that it was rushed. The sourgraping group will be joined by the discredited oppositionist in the Senate who was absent during the vote on the bill as he took a recess a day earlier than his colleagues. The group termed the urgent certification by Malacañang of the bill as an “abuse of presidential certification of emergency,” which is a product of their imagination since the President regularly endorses his pet bills. Instead of defending the work of the legislature, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he will assist as a “source of some facts, information and arguments” in assailing the edict before the SC. Pimentel also ridiculously demanded that President Marcos veto the bill and return it to Congress. Knowing that it was a priority measure, Pimentel now wants the Chief Executive to make a fool of himself by rejecting the MIF and tossing it back to Congress. He argues that it will give lawmakers a “chance to take a second look at the measure to address the concerns raised by many sectors.” Had Pimentel not played truant, he would not need the second look that he is now demanding. Legal experts said the High Tribunal will not allow itself to become part of the farce of the detractors and will respect the separation of powers principle. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, who voted against the MIF bill, ceded that an SC challenge will not prosper. Petitions challenging the bill’s constitutionality, once it becomes a law, have no issues that will require a Supreme Court review, he simply explained. “Congressional wisdom and expediency are not justiciable issues before the Supreme Court. Thus, I am dousing cold water on projected petitions to challenge the constitutionality of the MIF,” Lagman acknowledged. The legislator recalled the case of former Bataan Rep. Enrique Garcia v. the Executive Secretary in which the SC made clear that it will “not delve into the policy or wisdom of a statute.” Lagman’s view is that if there would be a need for changes in the law, the right step will be “to seek its amendment or repeal by the legislature itself.” The detractors’ rumblings are thus part of their frantic effort to gain relevance using the MIF as a springboard that in turn exposes their vested interest. The oppositors to the bill should consider that the SC is too busy with more important concerns to be bothered by their political play. Had they been doing their job, Pimentel and company would have introduced relevant provisions to the bill that should have tightened its safeguards against abuse. While the majority of the legislators had the good judgment to craft a law that would raise the interest of investors in the country, the slackers are trying to pull it down to salvage their names from obscurity. The MIF will benefit the nation — as the majority of the economic officials explain it — and the detractors of the bill have nothing to offer but hatred. The post Ignore loose cannons appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Follow science
The government should decide whether or not it should remove the mothballs from the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant since the country’s need for electricity begs for a strong will and an intelligent decision on the fate of the idled facility. The BNPP was ready in 1986 to become the first nuclear power plant as a source of electricity in Southeast Asia, had not vicious politics intervened. Had the obstructionists been prevented from having their way, the curse of the periodic brownouts would not have been inflicted on Filipinos. Among the notable achievements of the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte was laying the framework for nuclear technology as an option in the energy mix. The post-pandemic world is furiously trying to recoup lost grounds from the two-year infestation. The economic surge in the Philippines is projected to be among the fastest in the world based on the growth momentum thus far. Duterte signed Executive Order 164 which opened the door for a nuclear program by including the technology among the options in generating electricity. It offers a solution to the pursuit of meeting the rising power demand while keeping with international commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Being an archipelago with a limited land area, developing large-scale renewable energy projects like wind or solar farms has become a challenge. In the solar farm development, the direction now is to use the vast marine areas for floating solar panels that would, however, ramp up the cost of the solar project. In comparison, nuclear power plants require relatively small land areas and can produce large amounts of electricity. Heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels exposes the country to price volatility and supply disruptions, unlike nuclear energy, which, once operational, is not subject to supply and price risks, as nuclear fuel can be stored for years. A former energy executive said the former regime has a good appreciation of the nuclear option. Prices of oil and coal are erratic, so way back in 2017, the Duterte administration started planning for the integration of nuclear energy in anticipation of global distractions “caused by several factors similar to the current geopolitical conflict and the suspension of coal exports of Indonesia,” according to the former energy official. It will be up to the current administration to take the next steps to realize the promises of nuclear technology. “We need a to do lot of things before we finally achieve this but we need to do it so that when the country is hit by natural or man-made crises we can rely on a stable electricity supply,” the former official said. During the campaigns for the 2022 polls, then-candidate Bongbong Marcos vowed to study the revival of the BNPP among the options to bring the country back on track in the use of nuclear energy. BNPP, worth $ 2.2 billion, is the country’s first and only nuclear power plant. “We have to look at nuclear power. Don’t let politics get in the way, follow the science,” Marcos has said. Former Prime Minister Cesar Virata, who was also the finance minister of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., had the prescience to warn the administration of former President Cory Aquino from decommissioning the plant. He warned then that the policy was based on political considerations as Virata said that the economy at the time when the construction of the power plant started, was picking up and required a steady source of electricity. BBM said at the time when the BNPP was ready to operate, both the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Bank gave their approval on BNPP as feasible, at a time when the Philippines was 95 percent dependent on imported energy. Another former Marcos official, now Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile said several successful programs including the shift to nuclear energy were discarded during the administration of Cory on the instigation of leftist officials who of course were then working to keep the country in a backward state that is conducive to their sinister plans which are based on the level of hate among the populace. They spread baseless fears about a nuclear holocaust through the BNPP. BBM struck the best formula to settle the debates on BNPP: Follow the science. The post Follow science appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Public service without break
I am proud of the hard work that we have all put into advancing legislative measures with the common goal of providing a safer and better life for Filipinos While we are now on our session break, I believe that there can be no pause in our duties as public servants The Senate adjourned sine die last 31 May 31 its First Regular Session of the 19th Congress. Our first such session under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., I am proud of the hard work that we have all put into advancing legislative measures with the common goal of providing a safer and better life for Filipinos. Six of the proposed measures that hurdled the Senate are now laws, including several of my co-authored and co-sponsored bills, such as the SIM Registration Act, postponement of the December 2022 Barangay and SK Elections, and naturalization of our national basketball team key player, Justin Brownlee. Senate Bill 1849, which I co-sponsored, has also been enacted, amending certain provisions of Republic Act No. 11709 to establish a fixed term and retirement age for some officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines that would hopefully better promote their welfare. I likewise co-sponsored RA 11938, converting the municipality of Carmona, Cavite into a city. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, I am also particularly happy that the Bicameral Conference Report on our proposed Regional Specialty Centers Act has already been ratified, marking a significant milestone towards improving access to specialized healthcare across the country. As the principal sponsor of the measure, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of establishing more specialty centers in various regions to ensure that our Filipinos have better access to the specialized medical services they require. This measure is a steadfast commitment, and a collective vision to improve our healthcare system. It is our people’s experiences and stories that have driven us to aim for a healthcare system that is compassionate, accessible, and designed to meet the needs of Filipinos. Likewise approved on third and final reading in the Senate are several bills that I co-authored and co-sponsored, such as: (1) the proposed Walkable and Bikeable Communities Act which seeks to establish safe routes for cyclists, pedestrians, and slow vehicles across the entire country; (2) Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act which aims to institutionalize the grant of a teaching allowance for public school teachers; (3) No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act which seeks to protect students from preventing them in taking exams due to outstanding financial obligations; (4) New Agrarian Emancipation Act which seeks to condone almost P58 billion worth of loans that agrarian reform beneficiaries incurred in owning lands under the government’s agrarian reform programs; (5) Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act which aims to stimulate economic growth for decent job generation; and (6) Senate Bill No. 2021 which aims to improve the competitiveness of MSMEs by granting them access to shared facilities and services, technology, and skills training. The proposed National Day for Awareness on the Hijab and Other Traditional Garments and Attire Act, and the Cultural Mapping Act, which I both co-authored, have also hurdled the Senate. Meanwhile, I likewise filed several other measures in a bid to bring services closer to our people, especially the needy, the hopeless, and the helpless. These include bills establishing Mental Health Offices in higher educational institutions, mandating financial literacy and entrepreneurship as core subjects in the junior and senior high school curricula, and institutionalizing a technical-vocational program specifically for rehabilitated drug dependents. To improve the resilience of the agricultural sector, I also filed a bill seeking to provide immediate financial assistance to ARBs in the event of natural calamities and another measure that proposes to expand the services of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and encourage private sector participation in agricultural insurance. Among others, I also filed bills seeking to institutionalize the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH), a flagship housing program of President Marcos, Jr.; establish a comprehensive framework to accelerate infrastructure flagship programs; strengthen our coast guard; better protect our kasambahays, freelance and media workers; and provide equitable incentives to our para-athletes. After a hectic yet fruitful legislative year, I continue to personally visit our kababayans in need to provide the necessary aid. On June 1, I was in Samal, Bataan with my team to witness the groundbreaking of the town’s Super Health Center and distribute aid to 500 of its struggling residents. We also visited Balanga City to provide similar assistance to 1,008 indigents. Batangas was our destination the following day where I inspected the Super Health Center and a multipurpose building which will be the new municipal hall in Ibaan. I also led relief operations for 1,000 of my fellow Batanguenos in Ibaan and 1,086 in Sta. Teresita. Meanwhile, I was in Naga City, Camarines Sur on June 3 where I attended the 1st Bicol Social Media Summit and assisted 1,500 indigent residents. I then conducted a monitoring visit to the Malasakit Center at the Bicol Medical Center in the city and likewise aided 824 patients and 2,702 frontliners. The DSWD also committed to providing financial assistance to qualified beneficiaries. Thereafter, I inspected a bypass road in the city, a project I also supported as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. Across the country, my outreach teams aided 5,102 Typhoon Agaton victims in Banate, Iloilo; 170 fire-hit families in Parañaque City; five fire-hit families in Cotabato City and three more in Catbalogan City, Samar. Indigent families were also aided, including 420 in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; 598 in Socorro, Surigao del Norte; 1,000 in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur; 40 in Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte; 520 in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur; 180 in Sibalom, Antique; 518 in Kalibo, Aklan; 83 TESDA graduates in Carcar City, Cebu; and 408 barangay health workers in Sariaya, Quezon. My staff likewise attended the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center in Socorro, Surigao del Norte. While we are now on our session break, I believe that there can be no pause in our duties as public servants. As we have always done and as we are mandated to do, we should continue spending the days ahead trying to help uplift the lives of our Filipino people. The post Public service without break appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Why visit SM Store Bataan?
SM Store recently opened at SM City Bataan. Combining great retail and great design, the new store’s vibrant merchandise complements the mall’s Scandinavian interiors, using natural elements such as wood, metal and muted color palettes. Located right at the heart of Balanga City, the two level approximately 12,200 square meter SM Store brings to Bataan a vibrant mix of local and global brands. Here are the reasons it’s worth your visit: ‘We’ve got it all for you’. True to its tagline, SM Store Bataan has everything for everyone — from everyday essentials to fashion and home finds. These include a vast selection of quality products at reasonable prices — ladies’, men’s and children’s fashion, accessories to home and beauty products. It’s a one-stop-shop for all your needs, ensuring high quality but affordable products with excellent customer service. More fun shopping with good deals and discounts. Be one of the lucky 100 shoppers until 17 June as SM Store Bataan gives away up to P300,000 worth of SM Gift passes, which you can win. Also, get exclusive discounts from SM banking partners: BDO Exclusive (get 10 percent off for a minimum P2,000 single-receipt purchase), RCBC (free P300 SM Gift Pass for a minimum purchase requirement of P3,000 for straight payment and P10,000 for installment), avail yourself of Salmon and Home Credit 0-percent installment plans. It’s more than just the shopping experience. SM Store also provides services that go beyond shopping, such as bills payment, currency exchange, and a gift registry. SM’s personal shopper service offers convenience and same-day delivery for every shopper’s urgent and specific needs. One can also avail himself of SM’s free delivery via SM’s personal shopper service until 17 June within 5-km of the store. Shop anytime, anywhere. For those who prefer convenience shopping online, access the SM Store via Web or download ShopSM on Google Play or Apple Store. The post Why visit SM Store Bataan? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red, yellow debacles (2)
In search of energy sources that would provide the country with a stable supply of energy, particularly during the peak dry season when yellow and red alerts are prevalent, a sustainable source may just lie around the corner. Thus, turning waste into energy has become in vogue because it will hit two birds with one stone as it contributes to the production of power while also helping clean up the environment. Industry experts, however, consider the current laws do not support the development of a waste-to-energy industry. The Clean Air Act, for instance, sets rigid standards for incineration, the primary waste-to-energy technology. The House of Representatives already passed a bill allowing the use of waste-to-energy and redefining the incineration ban in the Clean Air Act. The next step, however, is stuck in the Senate which, as with other bills transmitted from the House, has not even started public hearings. Opportunities in the use of waste By 2025, the Philippines would have generated up to 92 million tons of waste, the equivalent of 500,000 blue whales, the largest animals to ever live on Earth. Then the country need not worry about a garbage crisis since it becomes the feedstock to generate power. The amount of waste that could end up in landfills, street corners, empty lots, or bodies of water will grow in direct proportion to population and urban centers. Landfills have limited capacities. A large volume of plastics that now clog the world’s oceans come from the Philippines, which is ranked one of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution in the seas. A law that could stop the waste-to-energy thrust dead on its track is the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act or ESWMA which mandated the use of landfills for waste disposal. ESWMA clashes head-on with the Renewable Energy Act, which mandated the government to prescribe policies and programs promoting and enhancing the development of biomass waste-to-energy facilities. The push for waste-to-energy as alternative fossil fuels lacks clarity in policies. First, the government through the DoE would have to list waste-to-energy as a priority power source as it did other renewable energy technologies—solar, wind, etc. To bring waste-to-energy production into the energy mix, there should be guaranteed and long-term power purchase agreements which would allow private companies to at least recoup their investments. The technology, nonetheless, is not cheap. Facilities that would turn heat from burning waste into energy would require substantial capital and technical expertise. Public-private partnerships would be ideal for such projects. Waste-to-energy facilities would require higher fees that would be charged against waste generators, including local governments. But who would end up bearing the added costs? Not the local governments with their commonly inadequate revenues. Consumers will have to bear the additional costs of waste-to-energy facilities if the government fails to provide support in the form of funding and incentives which are done in successful waste-to-energy systems like Singapore and Japan. Filtering facilities are part of state-of-the-art technologies to prevent waste-to-energy facilities from contributing to the toxic mix in the air. Environmental advocates have been campaigning against burning trash which they said is dirtier than burning coal. Incinerators release unimaginable volumes of minute pollutants into the air that could eventually affect the health of nearby residents. Waste-to-energy facilities need waste, they would need more and more trash to ramp up the production of energy, encouraging a steady and growing stream of waste. In some areas where local governments are starting to embrace waste-to-energy technology, unrest becomes prevalent among local folks. In the search for sustainable and clean sources of energy, the government should have an active part since proper use of technology will help mitigate the periodic lack of power while ending the trash problem that has defied solutions for ages. The post Red, yellow debacles (2) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Traditional fuel still needed — APC
Despite strong initiatives to drive up renewable energy development in the country, Aboitiz Power Corp. or APC said traditional gas-fired power plants will continue to play a “critical role” in attaining energy security in the country. In a recent television interview, AboitizPower president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio pointed out that these plants provide “dependable energy,”, especially during the summer months when electricity demand is an all-time high. “Existing thermal plants will continue to have a significant role to play in terms of providing reliable and stable power for the country,” Rubio said. “Energy demand has bounced back quite significantly. We are seeing record peaks in the last few weeks given the hot weather,” he said. However, Rubio pointed out that supply and demand margins currently remain thin as the only new investment for base load capacity was GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co.’s 1,336-megawatt power plant in Mariveles, Bataan. GNPower Dinginin, the biggest coal-fired power plant to be built in the country, operates under the private limited partnership of APC Therma Power, Inc. and AC Energy Holdings Inc. For Rubio, increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix should be “calculated and well-managed” and not “urgent and aggressive” due to “potential unintended consequences and standing tradeoffs.” Rubio also noted that small modular reactors can also help the country’s transition to a cleaner energy mix. Small reactors in mix “I believe that small modular reactors will have a role to play in the Philippine energy setting,” he said, adding that APC is in continuous discussion with SMR technology providers, including multinational NuScale Power Corp. “I think the timeline will still be around mid-2035 when we can see this to be operating in the Philippines,” he said. Nuclear energy technology is seen as a source of reliable and clean baseload power, considering the weather-independence of its fuel and its zero CO2 emissions. APC is currently expanding its RE portfolio to 4,600 MW in the next 10 years, resulting in a 50:50 balance between its RE and thermal capacities. The company has a pipeline of more than 1,000 MW of RE projects, including developing wind and solar farms throughout the country, as well as geothermal. APC operates coal plants Pagbilao units 1 and 2 via Therma Luzon, Inc. and Pagbilao Unit 3 via a joint venture with TeaM Energy called the Pagbilao Energy Corp. The post Traditional fuel still needed — APC appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jekyll and Hyde
The government’s chief lawyer tried to bring to the attention of the Court of Appeals, or CA, the perplexing or even disturbing situation where two of its divisions issued conflicting resolutions on two identical cases. Brought before the CA were the opposition of two San Miguel Corp. arms for its South Premiere Power Corp. or SPPC and San Miguel Energy Corp. or SMEC to the Energy Regulatory Commission’s junking of petitions to suspend power supply agreements with Meralco. Both have straight-pricing PSAs that restrict pass-through of costs to monthly bills that SMC said tied up its generating companies to mounting losses from, in the case of SMEC, higher costs of coal and, in the case of SPPC, the supply restrictions due to the depleted Malampaya natural gas field. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, in his partial motion for reconsideration ad cautelam, cited that while the CA’s 16th Division has been circumspect, the CA’s Thirteenth Division has “exhibited apparent prejudgment.” To put things in context, the 16th Division denied SMEC’s petition for a temporary restraining order on ERC but the 13th Division issued both TRO and writ of preliminary injunction or WPI in favor of SPPC. Guevarra’s motion indicated that injunctive relief is issued to preserve the status quo and not to impose new conditions. He quoted the 16th Division that ruled “the status quo, in this case, is maintaining the Contract Price as stated in the Power Supply Agreement.” The court then discussed the rationale for denying SMEC’s prayer for the issuance of TRO and/or WPI. “To emphasize, the writ of injunction, if granted, will not serve its purpose, since it will have the effect, not of maintaining the contract price, but of setting aside the assailed order itself, thereby rendering the main case, the petition for certiorari, moot,” the 16h Division said. The WPI will also give the petitioner unrestricted power to terminate, at its own will, the Power Supply Agreement to the detriment of the public consumers, according to the ruling. Contrary to what SMC has been pointing out that it had no intention of canceling its contract with Meralco and that what it sought is a temporary relief, Guevarra said immediately after SPPC posted the bond required for the TRO that the 13th Division granted, it went on to “unilaterally, in clear violation of the exhaustion and prior recourse remedies in the PSA, cease the supply of electricity to private respondent Meralco. “No less than the parent firm, SMC, announced the immediate cessation of the PSA (between SPPC and MERALCO) on its website on 7 December 2022,” he added. The press statement titled “ERC rejection of ‘least cost’ option forces SMC to cease supplying power to Meralco under Ilijan PSA” sought to place the blame on the regulator for the turn of events. The sudden withdrawal of the Ilijan plant from the supply of electricity forced Meralco to seek alternative sources more expensive — the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and emergency PSAs. Despite the conflicting decisions, the CA still granted SMC’s petition to consolidate both cases under the 13th Division which acted favorably to the company. The act of moving for consolidation of the two cases came “only after SPPC obtained a favorable ruling from the Honorable Court’s 13th Division is a mere afterthought and a circumvention of the proscription on forum shopping,” Guevarra stressed. He explained that “forum shopping is not only limited to instances where identical reliefs founded on the same facts and/or subject matter are sought from different fora and/or tribunal.” Cited as a precedent was a Supreme Court decision “that forum shopping exists when two purportedly different actions were filed with the Court of Appeals and assigned to two different divisions, thereof.” SMC came out as a clear winner in the CA’s moves despite the regulator’s ruling on the simple and basic premise that parties to a contract should honor its terms. The indefinite WPI implies that the court became vested with the omnipotence to break commitments under a contract that is sacred in the business world lest investor confidence is lost. The post Jekyll and Hyde appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Risky exposure (1)
In a review of banks’ exposure in energy projects, undertaken by the environmental think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, conglomerate San Miguel Corporation’s energy arm SMC Global Power Corp., which maintains a host of power plants, including those using coal as fuel, received prominent space. In the discussion, the dilemma that banks face was brought to light amid their financial exposure to SMCGP that may be affected by the maneuvers of SMC and its subsidiaries to, ironically, turn around the unfavorable state of the group. It said that apart from issues of supply, local fossil fuel companies are also feeling the impact of volatile fuel prices. SMCGP, the report said, suffered P15 billion in losses in 2022 due to the rising prices of fossil fuel. In May 2022, two of SMCGP’s subsidiaries filed motions for price adjustment before the Energy Regulatory Commission due to the rising fuel costs that they claimed they could no longer bear and wanted to pass on to consumers. The motions, according to the report, have since been denied, and SMC has brought the matter up to the Court of Appeals. Following the ERC denial of the price adjustment petitions, a Bloomberg intelligence report was released finding that SMCGP risks a funding shortfall as high as $1 billion by next June. The same intelligence report also projected that SMCGP’s current coal exposure might make refinancing more difficult and more costly, as investors increasingly shun coal-fired power plants as a result of the international effort to remove polluting fossil fuel as an energy source. Last year also saw SMC withdrawing the ECC applications for the three proposed fossil gas projects in the Visayas, including a liquefied natural gas project in Negros Occidental that had originally targeted a 2022 commissioning date. Despite its already large fossil fuel portfolio, the report said SMCGP issued Series K Bonds due in 2025, Series L. Bonds due in 2028, and Series M. Bonds due in 2032 with a principal amount of P30 billion and an oversubscription option of up to P10 billion in July 2022. Part of the proceeds of these bonds are allocated for SMCGP subsidiary-owned fossil fuel projects, including the Mariveles Power Generation Corporation’s four 150 megawatt or MW circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in Mariveles, Bataan and Excellent Energy Resources Inc.’s 1.3 gigawatt or GW combined-cycle LNG power plant in Barangays Ilijan and Dela Paz Proper, Batangas. Recently, however, Manila Electric Co. or Meralco announced the termination of its power supply agreements with two subsidiaries of SMCGP, Excellent Energy Resources Inc. and Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. The same power supply agreements would have secured revenue for the two SMCGP power plants to be financed by these bonds. Since the contracts were terminated, these subsidiaries would have to go through the competitive selection process again, where it will be up against fossil fuel and renewable energy or RE generation projects. According to the CEED report, the banks that purchased bonds had essentially exposed themselves and their shareholders, to whom they have a fiduciary responsibility, to fossil fuel projects “at risk of stranding.” “Changing policy, economic, geopolitical, and energy landscapes in the country and around the world demand that banks and financial institutions pay closer attention to and take the necessary action to mitigate these risks and protect their shareholders.” The report indicated that important developments show the tide turning in renewable energy’s or RE’s favor locally. According to the DoE, the Green Energy auction program will hold its second round of bids in June this year. The country will auction off rights to build 3,600 megawatts or MW of new capacity to be installed in 2024, 3,600 MW in 2025, and 4,400 MW in 2026. In all, this will result in an additional 11,600 megawatts of RE on top of the 2,000 MW auctioned off last year, an unprecedented scale of development for renewables in the country. (To be continued) The post Risky exposure (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Banks urged: Shift backing for RE
Philippine banks must quickly shift project funding for fossil fuels to renewable energy as demand for the latter is seen to skyrocket due to shrinking supplies and rising prices for climate change-inducing fossil fuels, said a report released Tuesday by the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development Philippines. Citing data from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a CEED report says unit costs for renewables have been decreasing at substantial rates globally: 85 percent both for solar energy and lithium-ion batteries and 55 percent for wind energy. Meanwhile, fossil fuel prices for coal and natural gas could further increase due to ongoing armed conflict between oil-rich countries Russia and Ukraine. Meralco, the country’s largest electricity provider, has increased rates to over P10 per kilowatt hour, while 11 new import terminals for liquified natural gas are under negotiations, according to the Department of Energy. Despite these, CEED researchers found 15 Philippine banks have heavily invested in fossil fuel projects through bonds, loans and stocks. Researchers say these will further heat up the planet and harm aquatic resources as the Verde Island Passage is eyed as an alternative to Malampaya. Dirtiest banks Banks were analyzed through CEED’s Fossil Fuel Divestment Scorecard which looked at their green policies and projects to mitigate the impacts of climate change such as drought, floods, and wildfires. New data covered April 2022 to March 2023. The scorecard shows Philippine banks invested $867.08 million within that period, mostly through bonds. Meanwhile, investments for new fossil gas projects reached $930 million. Among them involved the project of SMC Global Power of San Miguel Corporation in Bataan and Batangas which required principal funding of P30 billion and bond oversubscription option up to P10 billion in July last year. Eight out of the 15 banks studied supported this project. However, CEED shared that the SMC energy firm lost P15 billion last year due to higher fossil fuel prices. CEED added that the firm scrapped its application for the three proposed fossil gas projects in Visayas last year. Among the 15 banks, Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI) was deemed the dirtiest bank, followed by BDO Unibank Inc. CEED researchers say BPI topped the list for the fourth time, with an unclear commitment to reduce coal projects, notably the Atimonan One Energy (A1E) Coal Plant. “In fact, in a letter addressed to CEED dated 1 July 2021, the DOE said that Meralco PowerGen Corporation, which wholly owns A1E, is still in communication with lenders to extend the loan facility given the challenges encountered in securing power supply agreements.” In general, BPI had vowed to reduce outstanding loans to coal projects by 50 percent by 2026 and zero percent by 2032. Meanwhile, BDO had announced to reduce coal exposure also by 50 percent by 2033. CEED, however, criticized the banks for not having detailed plans to achieve their goals. “BPI’s overall score is also slightly higher due to improved sustainability policies. Nonetheless, BPI’s high overall fossil fuel exposure and insufficient policies keep it at the top,” CEED researchers said. For BDO, “Its coal exposure remains significant and its place as the top financier of the fossil gas expansion also garners it a high score. Its rank is lowered, however, by its Sustainability Policies Criteria score,” it said. Model banks Government-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) are the cleanest banks. CEED said that LandBank approved loans amounting to P20.1 billion for renewables. It added that the bank agreed in January to help build Aboitiz renewable energy plants worth P20 billion. Meanwhile, DBP approved a total loan of P600 million for a hydropower plant in Nueva Ecija and other 27 renewable energy projects last year. The post Banks urged: Shift backing for RE appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CHR urged to stand up for rights of coal-impacted fishing communities
Fishing communities in Bataan—who are suffering from the presence of coal, oil, gas and cement plants in the province as well as other destructive activities—staged a picket at the CHR headquarters in Quezon City to mark World Oceans Day on Tuesday......»»