Presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos on Tuesday, Jan. 18, said resorting to renewable energy and going green, like what is being done in his hometown Ilocos Region, is an effective way to solve the high power costs in the country.
Citing his recent interview, Marcos Jr.'s camp said the Partido Federal ng Pilpinas (PFP) standard bearer believes it is time to re-examine various alternative energy sources that will be a great help to Filipinos.
"Ang gagamitin natin is natural sources of energy. Hindi na tayo gagamit ng coal. Hindi na tayo gagamit ng fossil fuel. Kailangan meron tayong kapalit and the renewables ay available (We will use natural sources of energy. We will not use coal, but fossil fuel. We have to have an alternative and renewable resources are available)," he said.
Marcos Jr. noted that some of the possible sources of renewable energy are sunlight, wind, rain, waves and geothermal heat.
Aside from the high electricity cost that adds burden to Filipinos, he said it is also one of the main reasons why businessmen are afraid to invest in the country.
"This has been a constant sticking point with all of our investors, not only foreign investors even the local investors. Kapag tinatanong mo yung mga negosyante na gustong magtayo ng planta, gustong magtayo ng manufacturing ‘yun ang inirereklamo nila. Sinasabi nila ang taas masyado ng kuryente nila, hindi kami maka-compete sa ibang lugar (If you ask those businessmen who want to build their own manufacturing plants, they complain of expensive electricity cost. We cannot compete with other countries)," he said.
His camp said what the country needs is a "committed and dedicated leadership that has the political will to move from the traditional coal and fossil fuel use to renewable forms of energy.” Marcos Jr. said it would be better if various industry players and stakeholders in the renewable energy sector could join hands and work together as partners and not as competitors.
He then cited as an example the successful Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte, which he said is currently a huge supplier of energy requirements of the province that explains why residents are paying lower electricity bills.
The presidential aspirant also believed the key to the country’s successful renewable energy shift is through Public Private Partnership (PPP). He said there should be a thorough study on the matter because its methodology and system are divided by production, transmission and distribution.