Philippines: Energy research institute proposed

Philippines: Energy research institute proposed

THE chairman of the Senate committee on energy is proposing the creation of
a research institute that will focus on spurring the growth of the country's
energy sector to keep it at par with international developments.

"The energy sector is naturally characterized by rapidly changing
technologies. Unfortunately, most of the country's policy instruments cannot
keep up due to limitations in local research and technical capacity," said
Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian in a statement.

Mr. Gatchalian said he has filed Senate Bill No. 1290, which proposes the
establishment of a Philippine Energy Research and Policy Development
Institute in the School of Economics of the University of the Philippines in
Diliman.

"This bill seeks to address these limitations by establishing an institution
which will bridge research and policy gaps in pursuit of Philippine energy
security, affordability, and sustainability," he said.

He expects the research institute to bring the sector "up to speed with
innovative international technologies and make the industry more responsive
to the demands of consumers and sector players."

Mr. Gatchalian said the government has been tapping private foreign-funded
institutions and organizations for data because of the "scarce databases in
universities and research centers."

Under the bill, the research institute is mandated to "undertake
collaborative energy research and policy development among the academe and
stakeholders; provide timely technical assistance to the government on
energy issues needing policy direction and advise; and create and administer
programs intended to build the capacity of government agencies, energy
stakeholders, and the academe."

The institute will also be in charge of ensuring that its output is used "to
improve the energy sector, the economy, and the lives of the people."

Mr. Gatchalian's proposal comes as the Department of Energy (DoE) is
exploring a possible cooperation with its counterpart in China in several
areas, including training and development.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said he had meetings during a recent trip
with officials of China's National Energy Administration (NEA), wherein they
discussed the possible forging of a memorandum of understanding.

"We're looking at how they are approaching it. We'll see how we can both
enhance and learn from one another," he said on the sidelines of an energy
event on Thursday. "It's not a one way street."

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=energy-research
-institute-proposed&id=139802

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com