The Responsible Energy Initiative Philippines (‘REI Philippines) officially launched on Friday(Jan.26) the inaugural International Day of Clean Energy.

Launching with an industry-wide case for action, REI Philippines calls for stronger collaboration across the renewable energy (RE) sector to integrate policies, practices, norms, and behaviors that will allow the sector to anticipate and respond responsibly to its ecological and social impacts.

While the benefits of RE are widely acknowledged from decarbonization and expanding energy access to job creation, REI Philippines notes that emerging ecological and social impacts of the energy transition, particularly from the production and deployment of utility-scale RE, are inadequately addressed.

These impacts include displacement of indigenous communities, threats to biodiversity, and environmental pollution from end-of-life disposal, and could impede the country’s energy transition.

With the Philippines’ energy transition showing promise with a forward-looking policy direction, a mature developer sector, and a dynamic civil society, among other promising characteristics, this provides an opportunity for the RE sector to pioneer a shift towards business models that reduce harm, enable social justice and economic resilience, and regenerate ecosystems.

REI Philippines, a multi-year program designed as a collaborative platform, is currently led by a consortium of six leading international and Philippine-based think tanks and civil society organizations: the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), Oxfam Pilipinas, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Philippines, Forum for the Future, the Center for Empowerment, Innovation and Training on Renewable Energy (CentRE) and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.

Close to 100 representatives from industry, finance, civil society, and policymakers attended the launch of REI Philippines at the Astoria Plaza Hotel in Pasig City. Senator Risa Hontiveros delivered the keynote address.

“The Philippines’ renewable energy transition is best described by a single word: potential. Driven by our abundant clean and indigenous sources, the roadmap of our efforts for energy transition has long been underway. This is supported by the significant impacts that we have seen of RE helping to ensure affordable, reliable, and secure energy for Filipinos,” said Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz, Executive Director of ICSC.

As part of the launch, the Responsible Energy Initiative Philippines: Case for Action report was also published. The report outlines the energy transition in the Philippines, providing an overview of existing or upcoming ecological and social impacts arising from utility-scale RE production and deployment (specifically solar, floating solar, onshore and offshore wind, energy storage systems, and small and mini hydro), and the existing measures and opportunities to govern, manage and mitigate these impacts.

Erika Geronimo, Oxfam Pilipinas Executive Director, noted the Philippine commitment to the Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75% in 2030 aligning with the 1.5C Paris Agreement target.

“We do need to accelerate our actions given the climate crisis, but any proposed solution must take into account the views and interests of marginalized communities, who are most vulnerable to climate change impacts. A just energy transition reinforces the crucial role of civil society organizations to amplify the voices of these communities, especially of women and girls,” said Geronimo.
(PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated more than P374 million to Northern Samar to be distributed to families affected by the shearline that hit the province in November of last year.

Each of the 123,133 families would receive P3,040, the DSWD said.

And since Jan.19, about 13,418 of the identified beneficiaries have received the cash assistance, it said.

To recall, last November, the province of Northern Samar experienced its worst flood in almost 50 years due to shearline.

Aside from Northern Samar, the DSWD also extended assistance to earthquake and flood victims in Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN), and Region 13 (Caraga).

The DSWD has earmarked P537 million for this cash aid, says Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez, the agency’s spokesperson.

Lopez said that the simultaneous emergency cash transfer (ECT) payout in Samar and Mindanao is in line with the directive of Sec. Rex Gatchalian to ensure that all families affected by disasters are able to immediately recover and start their lives anew.

“The Secretary’s directive is anchored on the goal of the Marcos administration to leave no one behind in times of disasters and other emergencies,” the DSWD spokesperson said in a statement Sunday (Jan. 28).

“Overall, the DSWD has allotted P537 million for the families from the affected towns in Northern Samar, Sarangani, and Surigao Del Sur of which P167.9 million has already been disbursed during the simultaneous payout,” Lopez pointed out.

“Our field offices will continue to conduct payout activities, in coordination with concerned local government units (LGUs), until all families have been served,” the DSWD official said.
(LIZBETH ANN A ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The regional office of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is looking for more sites in the region that can be pitched to cruise tour operators for bigger cruise ships to visit.

Eastern Visayas has been part of the cruise tourism industry since 2013 but with only smaller vessels carrying from 100 to about 600 guests for expedition cruises, sites have been curated.

Among the destinations frequently included in the cruise itinerary in the region are Kalanggaman Island and Cuatro Islas in Leyte province; Limasawa Island in Southern Leyte; and Capul Island in Northern Samar.

Newly included places for cruise destinations are Padre Burgos in Southern Leyte; Canigao Island, Tacloban City, and Palo in Leyte; Maripipi and Sambawan in Biliran; and Biri Island in Northern Samar.

“They want an area where the water is clear, snorkeling is good. They are not even asking for extravagant facilities,” DOT-8 Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said, adding that functional comfort rooms or toilets that will be used by the guests are very important.
The beach area they are looking for should be within the mainland which can accommodate 1,000 to 2,000 guests.

Tiopes added that they are particularly looking for these areas in the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar where there are long coastline of beaches that are still untouched and unexplored by most tourists.

“They are looking for a Boracay-like experience but with less people,” she added.

Since 2013, several cruise ships have visited the region and expanded the number of areas visited from only one to 11 areas.

For this year, the DOT regional office is preparing two additional areas for cruise destinations. Included in these two additional sites is Maasin City, the capital of Southern Leyte.

“The growth of cruise tourism is not only measured with the number of cruise calls. It may be one cruise ship but it visited several destinations like the Coral Adventurer wherein from the original nine destinations to visit in Eastern Visayas it increased to 11 sites,” she added.
Coral Adventurer is expected to return this year with a new batch of tourists.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)