In the Philippine energy sector, ‘greed integration’ isn’t subtle anymore. It has been stamped in black and white with the jaw-dropping ₱11/kWh offshore wind price recently approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). This rate applies to the targeted 3,300-megawatt capacity auction...
If there’s a “most punishing relationship” in town, it’s the one between consumers and their power utilities. It is a toxic romance where the bills keep climbing, but mercy never comes. This month, many consumers served by utility giant Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) were stunned by a...
The cost of electric power in the Philippines remains among the highest in Asia. This is driven by a combination of high imported fuel costs, ongoing grid work-in-progress, significant system losses (five percent in Singapore versus 10 percent in the Philippines), and an oligopolistic market...
President Marcos announced simplified rules that will make electricity subsidies more accessible to poor households and streamline the application process for solar net-metering, allowing families to install panels and sell excess power to the grid more easily. Speaking at the “Collective...
President Marcos said a stable electricity supply is essential to productivity and economic opportunity, as he positioned the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) hydroelectric complex as a key stabilizer of the Luzon power grid. During the project’s turnover ceremony in Laguna on Monday, Feb. 9, the...
LONDON, England – A major inflection point for nuclear power development in the Philippines and Southeast Asia will be spotlighted when global industry leaders gather for the World Nuclear Supply Chain Conference in Manila on May 20–21 this year. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Sama Bilbao y...
Even as Malacañang insists no Cabinet shake-up is imminent, backroom whispers are growing louder that the administration may “recycle” 2025 midterm election losers into key posts once the appointment ban lifts this May. Just last week, industry and political circles were abuzz with rumors that...
Low-income households are set to receive a full discount on their monthly electricity bills under a new uniform subsidy structure aimed at streamlining relief for the country’s most vulnerable consumers. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced on Friday, Jan. 30, that qualified...
Every new gas find is a hard-won victory for the Philippines—whether it is a fresh discovery or added production. President Marcos’s revelation that Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1) holds an estimated 98 billion cubic feet (BCF) of reserves signals that the country has struck a deeper kind of...
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has authorized the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to proceed with the ₱11.4 billion interconnection project designed to stabilize power supply on Siargao Island. In a formal notice, the industry regulator greenlit the Claver-Siargao...
Senator Pia Cayetano on Wednesday, January 21 welcomed the discovery of natural gas at Malampaya East-1 saying this is great news for the Philippine energy sector. “This is great news for our energy security, as this discovery will contribute to price stability,” Cayetano said. She said...
If there is one thing the energy sector can unanimously credit Secretary Sharon Garin for, it is grit: she cuts through bureaucracy, stands toe-to-toe with political power, mobilizes agencies, and brings stalled energy projects back into motion. Her record is written in resolved bottlenecks, such...
