Law lacks implementing rules to guide LGUs, local officials

A MANILA-based environmentalist said local officials are not to be blamed for the lack of enthusiasm in promoting the use of renewable energy.

Jose Lorenzo Tan, of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature-Philippines, said there is also a lack of implementing rules and regulations for the Renewable Energy law that could guide government agencies and attract investors.

There is also lack of tariff incentives that would encourage businessmen to finance projects that would employ renewable sources of energy.

“Gwen can’t be faulted,” he said, referring to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who recently returned from a trip to Korea to visit coal-fired power plants there.

He said government officials may not have a choice on what type of energy to support because the building of coal-fired power plants has become a “cut and paste technology.”

Tan, a guest speaker at the Second Environmental Congress, said people can manage their consumption of power by turning off unnecessary lights, and energy-saving and efficient appliances and office equipment.

Power plants

He said this will bring down power consumption and lower the output from power plants, and eventually there would be no need to build new power plants.

Tan also said the WWF is conducting a study with support from Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) on assessing business risks due to climate change.

The research contains data gathered from Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Baguio. It is expected to be available by August this year.

The information gained from the study would be disseminated to local officials, BPI managers and business clubs to help them make decisions in terms of hazards, vulnerability and adaptability to global warming.