THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said it is concerned about the broader damage that may result from the allegations against Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla, threatening the momentum being built up in developing the energy industry.
“We are competing against other countries in the region in enticing foreign direct investment (FDI) to come to our shores; let us not create an air of uncertainty that could dissuade these investments,” the PCCI said in a statement on Monday.
“We recognize the excellent work that Mr. Lotilla is doing. We support the direction he is taking to achieve energy security and affordability for the country, the two key components to bring in investments, expand domestic enterprises, and enhance our productivity and competitiveness,” it added.
Criminal and administrative complaints were filed by the Power for People Coalition (P4P) against Mr. Lotilla for endorsing the Aboitiz-owned Therma Visayas, Inc. Unit 3 expansion in Cebu.
In a statement last month, P4P said that Mr. Lotilla’s endorsement of the project violates the moratorium on greenfield coal-fired power projects declared by the previous administration.
The PCCI noted that the moratorium does not cover existing coal-fired power generation facilities, coal-fired power projects classified as committed, existing power plant complexes with firm expansion plans, or projects that have made significant progress.
“We endorse the holistic energy solution as presented by the Department of Energy, where coal remains an important component for economic growth while waiting for clean, reliable, and affordable baseload technologies,” it said.
“Given that the Philippines is not a major carbon emitter and that it is not a wealthy country, a more pragmatic approach towards climate change needs to be emphasized, focusing our limited resources towards climate adaptation. Let us avoid being distracted by western policies that may be appropriate for their country contexts but not ours,” it added.
The PCCI said that the Philippines should learn from the Panay power outages, the dry-season red and yellow alerts, and Typhoon Carina that downed electricity poles. It called for a focus on energy security to keep factories open and to keep people at work.
“Insecurity of supply causes harm that can affect the lives of consumers and businesses and ultimately hinders our country’s resilience and march toward progress,” it said.
“In light of increasingly inclement weather, we must also be mindful to invest in the greater resilience of our energy systems, of which coal, gas, and other technologies can provide us greater security against high winds and strong rains,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
