ILOILO Province was honored with the Energy Efficiency Excellence Award by the Department of Energy (DOE) during a ceremony at Hilton Manila in Pasay City on December 19, 2023.
This award establishes Iloilo as one of only two provinces in the country to receive such recognition.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., along with key Provincial Government officials, including lawyer Caesar Emmanuelle Buyco, chief of the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office, Board Member Rolando Distura, and Rey Victor Garin, EEC focal of the Provincial Planning and Development Office, accepted the award.
The DOE recognized Iloilo for its outstanding achievement and innovative work in putting the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) into practice.
Under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act (Republic Act 11285), the government implemented the GEMP program, which aims to reduce petroleum products and electricity consumption through a variety of measures, including fuel efficiency and conservation in government vehicles and electricity efficiency and conservation.
The efforts of Iloilo, along with the province of Nueva Vizcaya, to promote electricity conservation and use fuel in government-owned vehicles as sparingly as possible were especially praised.
The Energy Efficiency Excellence Award, a significant national recognition, aims to encourage the adoption of energy management systems and best practices in energy efficiency among all energy-consuming establishments, including government facilities.
Director Patrick Aquino of the DOE Energy Utilization Management Bureau congratulated Defensor through a letter, praising Iloilo's "exceptional initiatives and unwavering commitment in the implementation of energy efficiency and conservation."
The rigorous evaluation process, guided by Department Order DO2021-09-0014, subjected the Iloilo Provincial Government to scrutiny by the Selection and Awarding Committees.
Iloilo's success in clinching the Energy Efficiency Excellence Award reinforces its dedication to sustainable energy practices and sets a benchmark for other provinces. (PR)