Presentation On Philippine Energy Situation

Ene rg y an d t he So ci et y Energy sector

Department of Energy •

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MANDATE The Department is mandated by RA 7638 (Department of Energy Act of 1992) to prepare, integrate, coordinate, supervise and control all plans, programs, projects and activities of the Government relative to energy exploration, development, utilization, distribution and conservation of energy. VISION The Department of Energy, in partnership with their stakeholders, shall improve the quality of life of the Filipino by formulating and implementing policies and programs to ensure sustainable, stable, secure, sufficient, accessible and reasonably-priced energy.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) •

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VISION Within the next decade, by encouraging greater private sector participation and in partnership, would have: Achieved total and reliable energization and energy selfsufficiency; Developed our indigenous and renewable resources; Actively promoted sustainable and efficient use of energy as well as the utilization of cleaner energy and technologies; Developed alternative fuels for commercial applications;

•Successfully implemented reforms in the energy sector which have brought about a competitive environment, consumer satisfaction and empowerment •DOE is globally recognized institution for energy policy, research and technology management, with comprehensive data and information systems, responsive to the needs of their stakeholders. •We are a center of excellence: a focused, dynamic, socially-responsive, competent, motivated organization, committed to efficient service with integrity, nationalism and professionalism, working under an environment of harmony and respect.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) SECRETARY ANGELO TOMAS REYES (2007PRESENT) • 9th DOE secretary from 1978 • Held key positions in government and military. • He became instrumental in crafting the National Internal Security Plan which has become the government’s framework in • He had served as AFP Chief of Staff, Secretary of the DND, DILG and the DENR • He is also Board member of National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO), National Development Company (NDC), National Economic & Development Authority (NEDA), National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) & National Anti-Poverty Commission, among others.

Energ y a nd t he S ociety Current Issues

Jatro pha: What t he pu blic should kn ow •

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The government is aggressively pushing for the cultivation of Jatropha curcas (tuba-tuba) as a source of renewable fuel (biodiesel). The plant, which produces golf-ball-size fruits that contain oil, can be grown in any kind of soil, doesn’t need much water and fertilizer The Philippine National Oil Co.Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC), has tied up with the military to set up a 500hectare nursery in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. In Mindanao, the corporation is looking at some 1.2 million hectares as its main hub for jatropha production.

Jatro pha: What t he pu blic should kn ow •

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Jatropha becomes a viable source of biodiesel if diesel is retailed at P140 per liter; if the crop has a high fruit yield of 36,000 kilogram per hectare (ha); if it has a high rate of oil extraction (34% and 38%); Jatropha produces a toxin called curcin. Will this substance exert toxic effects on companion crops? Due to this toxin, planting of jatropha was banned in Northern Australia. The Australians are afraid that their cattle will forage on jatropha during the dry months. Besides, they are afraid that it will become weeds later on. Many people are enticed to plant jatropha because of the massive government campaign to promote it. One million hectares are targeted.

Coa l min in g p ro je ct •

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Worldwide, coal is a sought-after energy source. It has the largest reserve and is often the cheapest of the fuel options. The Philippines is largely a coal consuming country with coal having the highest contribution to the power generation mix at 27% in 2005. The Catholic Church and other groups are objecting to a plan by a firm linked to business tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. to extract coal worth P7.2 B in the province of Catanduanes

Coa l min in g p ro je ct •

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The DOE awarded the 7,000 hectares of land in the province to Monte Oro Resources Energy Inc. in 2005 without public consultation and it has not been issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) ECC covers permits to transfer trees, water rights and endorsements from local government units Environmentalists and other groups may be strongly opposed to coal’s used but it is likely to remain the fuel of choice for power generation due mainly to its abundance and relatively lower price compared to other fuel types Mining would destroy its forests cover and biodiversity cause flooding and pollute waterways.

DEV EL OP MEN T o r A GGRE SSI ON ? • Despite the government’s control over land use and dispersal the law explicitly provides that: • (1) every person has the right to a good and healthy living environment; and • (2) those managing the land have an obligation to prevent and abate environmental damage and pollution • The state has an extensive environmental legislation going virtually unenforced due to political constraints. Provisions are ambiguous at best in terms of defining the relationship between such rights and the de facto dominant powers of the state and its partner enterprises.

DEV EL OPME NT OR A GGRE SSI ON ? •

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Local communities are barred from using or disposing of land in a manner contrary to that which the government deems to be “in the national interest.” Senior government officials, their family members and associates, and members of the armed forces maintain vast holdings in mining, logging, and other natural resource operations throughout the country.

DEV EL OPME NT OR A GGRE SSI ON ? •

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The Mining Act of 1995, which the Arroyo government implemented last year in full swing, will subject 13 million hectares or 45 percent of the country's land area to mining exploration and extraction. Justified by Mrs. Arroyo as urgent in order to address the government's fiscal crisis, the Act will result in the large-scale displacement of communities and in the destruction of lands, deforestation and the flattening of mountains, erosions, siltations, desertification, pollution of rivers and marine life, and other ecological damages. In areas where new mining operations have started, disaster incidents have taken place including the spread of toxic pollutants and flashfloods. The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) produced a chilling effect for indigenous communities who seek to retain their ancestral lands lands or to participate in decision making regarding the use of those lands

DEVELOPM ENT AG GRESSI ON • Development aggression" and "globalization" have contributed to the destruction of the country's ecosystem (considered one of the richest in the world), traditional protective barriers and once selfsustaining economies that used to enable the people to withstand even the most destructive calamities.

DEVELOPM ENT AG GRESSI ON “Development is development aggression when the people become the victims, not the beneficiaries; when the people are set aside in development planning, not partners in development; and when people are considered mere resources for profit-oriented development, not the center of development . . . Development aggression violates the human rights of our people in all their dimensions—economic, social, cultural, civil and political.”