THE Department of Energy (DOE) and the Philippine Disaster Resiliency Foundation, Inc. (PDRF) have announced their partnership in promoting energy resiliency.
In a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last Tuesday, the parties agreed to regularly conduct a dialogue and to develop activities towards energy resiliency, conduct joint exercises to test disaster response protocols and engage other sectors in disaster-risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
The PDRF is the country’s major private sector and coordinator for disaster management. It is headed by its president, Rene S. Meily, and co-chaired by Ayala Corp. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and First Pacific Co. Ltd. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Manny V. Pangilinan.
DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi highlighted the agency’s Energy Resiliency Plan (ERP) to the businessmen. He said the ERP fleshes out the government’s disaster risk reduction plans, programs and activities intended to minimize the impact of calamities like earthquakes, typhoons and floods.
The DOE has been moving to ensure that the effects of disasters on the provision of power to the population will be minimal, Cusi added.
“I am proud to say that prior to the issuance of the ERP, the energy sector has already been proactive in developing resiliency measures,” he said.
The energy chief also said that a country’s energy sector is only as strong as the weakest link in the energy chain. As such, each element in the energy chain should be equally resilient to function properly, Cusi added, citing the “need to institutionalize resiliency measures at every phase.”
Also present during the signing were PDRF Board members Aboitiz Equity Ventures CEO Erramon Aboitiz and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. CEO Cesar Romero.
Cusi was joined by DOE Senior Undersecretary Jesus Cristino Posadas and Undersecretary Alexander Lopez during the ceremonial signing as witnesses.