A landmark energy legislation that will increase the country’s supply of natural gas from liquefied natural gas (LNG) sources and avert possible energy security crisis from happening when operations of the Malampaya gas field project close for good in the near future has been placed for floor debates in the Senate.
Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to look into the reported unplanned outages of some power plants in Luzon that recently triggered a spike in consumers’ electricity bills.
The accumulation of household wastes as a result of the lockdowns, including medical wastes, has given rise to the need for proper waste management and other solid waste management treatment facilities to include waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities as an appropriate waste management strategy, said Senator Win Gatchalian, adding that the Department of Health (DOH) requires medical wastes to undergo waste treatment before being hauled to disposal facilities.
Senator Win Gatchalian called on energy sector agencies and other stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted and reliable power supply while strict home quarantine is called to be observed in all households and while the government rolls out its COVID-19 vaccination program.
Senator Win Gatchalian recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) the inclusion of electrical linemen and meter readers in the priority list of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program, stressing their importance in the country’s energy security and continuous supply of power.
As the country moves towards the recovery phase from the ill effects of COVID-19 on transportation and mobility, Senator Win Gatchalian pushes for electric vehicles (EVs) anew and the importance of environmental sustainability.
Senator Win Gatchalian called on the concerned authorities to oversee the conduct of onsite electric meter reading amid heightened restrictions under the re-imposed enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to avoid a repeat of last year’s bill shock complaints.
Senator Win Gatchalian called on Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) officials to address the issue on energy poverty in the region as data from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) showed that as of December 2020, there are still 106,491 households or 29.99% that remain without electricity as only 248,551 households are being served out of the total 355,042.
Senator Win Gatchalian said reports of Petron Corporation’s refinery resuming operation in Bataan by midyear sends a positive signal to the oil and gas industry as it will ensure the continuous employment of at least 3,000 workers and contribute to supply stability which may result in lower fuel prices in the country.
