The government has allocated P200 million for the operation of its newly created research arm for energy-related matters.
Last Friday, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11572 or the Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute Act.
The new law created the Philippine Energy and Policy Institute (PEPI) to “formulate multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary research-based policies and strategies for the cost-effective use of energy resources towards environmentally sound energy development.”
RA 11572 allocated P200 million for the first year of of operation of PEPI, while it succeeding funding will be included in the general appropriations act.
It also tasked the Bureau of Treasury to create a Special Account in General Fund (SAGF), which will be used to support the research done by PEPI.
The new legislation also authorized concerned government agencies to allocate portions of their annual budget to finance studies done by PEPI. PEPI will become an attached agency of the University of the Philippines (UP), but it will have a separate funding from the said educational institute.
The UP president will serve as the ex-officio chairman of the executive board of PEPI.
UP will come out with the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of RA 11572 within 90-days from its effectivity.
Image credits: DOST-Mimaropa