ADB, DOE, EU-ASEP and PE2 meet Mandaue mayor on city-led EE&C
MANDAUE CITY, 28 February 2020 – The Asian Development Bank (ADB), Department of Energy (DOE), EU-funded Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (EU-ASEP), and the Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2) called earlier today on Mayor Jonas C. Cortes of the City Government of Mandaue to discuss the possibility of the city to implement a local government unit (LGU) -led demonstration energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) project.
ADB was represented by its energy efficiency experts Alexander Ablaza and Thomas K. Dreessen. Ablaza likewise represents PE2, while Dreessen is also engaged by the UK Prosperity Fund’s ASEAN Low Carbon Emission Programme (LCEP).
DOE was represented by Genevieve Almonares, who now heads the newly established EE&C Public Sector Management Division of the Energy Utilization Management Bureau. She was assisted by Jun Getalado of the same bureau.
Douglas Liner represented EU-ASEP as its team leader.
Ablaza explained that the ADB was currently performing a market assessment to understand the opportunities and gaps for government financial institutions (GFI) to grow their energy efficiency lending portfolios. ADB will need to know how GFIs can help public entities such as LGUs, national government agencies (NGAs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), state universities and hospitals (SUCs) and water districts implement EE&C projects with debt financing.
The ADB experts inquired with the Mandaue mayor if EE&C demonstration projects were already being planned by the city government.
Mayor Cortes said that Mandaue was already in the middle of converting high-pressure sodium streetlighting fixtures with 50,000-hour life-rated LED luminaires, and was willing to assemble data on the balance of light points that still needed conversion. The mayor also shortlisted the city hall, sports complex and city hospital as possible facilities for energy audits as a preparatory step for air conditioning and lighting efficiency upgrades.
Dreessen explained that LCEP was also looking for demonstration projects hosted by LGUs that could receive possible project development support from LCEP.
On behalf of DOE, Almonares shared with Mayor Cortes a copy of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11285, otherwise known as the EE&C Act.
The meeting was held immediately after the close of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Forum for Local Development in the Visayas. The forum was planned to share with local government units (LGUs) the key features of the new EE&C Law and its IRR, discuss the development of Local EE&C Plans, address key challenges and needs going forward. LGUs’ energy management and reporting systems will need to be developed in collaboration with DOE and other national government agencies. Some key challenges include: coordination amongst relevant responsible agencies, sources of technical and financial know-how, and project development and resourcing at the local level.
Wearing his hat as PE2 president, Ablaza likewise invited Mandaue to become the first LGU member of the Alliance. The city government is known for having successfully enacted its Green Building Ordinance.
