Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Saturday, June 4 that the next Department of Energy (DOE) secretary should be a veteran in the field with a long-term vision for the country’s energy security.
“Having been at the helm of the Senate energy committee for the past six years, I can say that the next DOE secretary should have the following qualities: long term vision, technical knowledge, commitment to energy transition, experience and unquestionable integrity,” he said.
Armed with such credentials, such a person for the job is expected to be a proactive leader at the forefront of the energy sector with the ability to steer government policies and shield the country from external shocks, Gatchalian added.
Unofficial reports have it that broadcaster and Senator-elect Raffy Tulfo will be the next chairman of the Senate Energy Committee.
Senators will vote on who will be the next of Senate officials and chairmen of Senate committees when the 19th Congress opens on July 25.
The next Senate President is expected to be the current Senate Majority Leader, Senator Juan Miguel ‘’Migz’’ Zubiri.
In setting a long-term vision, Gatchalian said the incoming DOE chief should be knowledgeable not only about the technical but the finance and legal aspects as well, especially given the complex industry now undergoing rapid transformation.
“Based on my experience, expertise on the matters concerning the energy industry should be of utmost consideration in choosing the appointee, especially in a highly technical industry. Energy is not an ordinary sector. You need some level of experience. It’s a difficult sector with numerous intricacies that you have to learn first in order to push for reforms to transform the industry,” he explained.
Energy transition is inevitable as the entire world is moving toward such a direction, electrifying everything from cars to other things and opting for renewable resources as their prices are rapidly dropping. And as such, the department should continue with the transition process, he added.
“We need to follow these trends globally and if not, mapag-iiwanan tayo (we will be left behind),” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian stressed that experience and unquestionable integrity are top qualifications for the post.
“The job of the DOE is to forecast supply, demand, pricing and global trends. Our country is very susceptible to supply and demand as well as global prices because we import 99 percent of our oil. Malampaya is depleting and there are other pressing concerns. The job now of the DOE is to come up with solutions ahead of time. We have enacted many laws in response to the emerging trends but if the leadership of the department is not appreciative of reforms and needed changes, then we’ll be doing the same things over and over again,” he said.