Vice President Leni Robredo lamented the country’s supply of energy is the “number one concern now” as she called for the development of indigenous energy sources to alleviate the rising energy prices.
Robredo, a presidential aspirant, was asked about addressing the energy price and supply issues if she gets elected to the country’s top post this May.
She spoke during the online forum, Meet the Presidentiables: Economic Reforms in the New Frontier, which was held by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) on Friday, Jan. 21.
“The Malampaya gas fields is running dry very soon. There are pending applications for service contracts that have not yet been acted upon. So, number one, there should be an immediate review of all these applications and award them as soon as possible. And government should provide support to private companies to fast-track development of oil fields,” Robredo said.
The Vice President also sees the expansion of the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) as another way to boost the development of energy projects by streamlining the approval process.
Robredo cited this solution as she was informed by stakeholders about the long process.
Part of her energy plan, Robredo bared she supports the Philippine commitment to be more carbon neutral in 2050, but she noted there is currently no road map yet that specifies how it can be achieved.
“We have committed to be carbon neutral by 2050, but the first step, of course, is to accelerate this because we don’t have a very clear transition plan yet. We need to immediately reorient this into a roadmap to increase our levels of energy self-sufficiency with clear milestones,” she said.
READ: Robredo to move away from fossil fuels; nuclear energy option 'on the table'
Robredo also sees liquified natural gas (LNG) as the only practical option for this transition and said that the Department of Energy (DOE) should take the lead in securing the LNG supply instead of allowing individual importation of companies.
For the long term, Robredo mentioned the prioritization of low-cost energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal that will promote their utilization to avert a power shortage.
“One sustainable alternative also, which being pushed by some sectors, is to encourage high-consumption volume consumers to put up their own solar panels for those who can afford. Putting up panels in ecozones, for example, can shave off the peak to manage the supply,” she said.
At the same time, the presidential aspirant expressed support to the promotion of mini grids as source of energy for remote communities.
She also wants to update the implementing rules and regulations of the Value Added Tax law, calibrate the excise tax rates in response to changes in global prices, and to review the system loss allowance.
During the forum, Robredo spoke of her stand on nuclear energy that involves having discussions on the matter. She underscored the importance of shifting to renewable energy from fossil fuel.
“While I am open to discussions, it is very, very clear that the priority now should be moving away from fossil fuel dependence towards a shift to renewable energy. We should also ensure that energy costs do not hamper our economic trajectory,” she said.