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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Economy devider More foreign investments eyed as Philippines hosts ASEAN energy meetings in Bohol

More foreign investments eyed as Philippines hosts ASEAN energy meetings in Bohol

Published Jan 19, 2026 03:20 pm

The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking to attract more foreign investment as it prepares to host this week’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) energy meetings.

The networking event will be held in Bohol province from Jan. 20 to 22.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella told reporters that the upcoming ASEAN meeting would focus on key agendas, such as the long-awaited power grid that would connect the 10 member countries and address supply-chain concerns. This project is under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2026-2030.

“How do we connect island areas to make it more inclusive to the ASEAN power grid, considering that we have island areas that we monitor?” he said in a roundtable discussion last week.

APAEC, which serves as a five-year blueprint for energy cooperation, includes other matters such as clean coal transformation, renewable energy (RE), civil nuclear energy, oil and gas connectivity, security and sustainability, energy efficiency and conservation, as well as other policy planning initiatives.

Apart from intensifying the power grid discussions among neighboring countries, the DOE is also seeking to improve the local manpower, as it aims to address job opportunities in the energy sector in the domestic market and beyond.

It is also seeking more partnerships to address man-made and natural calamities through the exchange of resilience plans and programs.

Fuentebella also said the DOE is looking for more investment exchanges through mergers or cooperative efforts.

“The Philippines is committed to ensuring our collective efforts deliver tangible benefits, from powering homes and businesses to strengthening resilience and supporting inclusive growth for all ASEAN peoples, while fostering partnerships that reinforce our shared prosperity and security,” he said in a separate statement.

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