MBC’s initiatives towards reliable, affordable,
and renewable power for all
01 February 2023 – Reliable, affordable, and renewable power are key advocacies of MBC. It is essential for big and small businesses — including new investors — to grow and create jobs. To that end, MBC has been meeting with government and power sector players since the start of the new administration.
In 2022 and 2023, MBC leaders met with the new heads of the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, and National Power Corp. to identify priority issues and areas of collaboration.
In May 2023, MBC partnered with Climate Smart Ventures (CSV), an energy transaction advisory firm partially funded by organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation, on a Just Energy Transition Plan (JETP) for the Philippines. MBC organized and took part in discussions with more than a dozen major players in the power industry. When CSV released their key findings in December (prior to fuller reports), the stress was on a just and managed transition.
Working with the Government
5 October 2022 – MBC met with Department of Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla, along with Undersecretaries Sharon Garin, Felix William (Wimpy) Fuentebella, Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, and Alessandro Sales.
MBC expressed its support for DOE and for their efforts to build up the transparent, accountable, competitive, and performance-based environment needed to attract much-needed investments in energy generation, transmission, and distribution.
With MBC Chairman Edgar Chua and Trustee Jose Carlitos G. Cruz were Vicente Perez (Alternergy), Lubin Nepomuceno (Petron), Lorelie Osial (Shell), Emmanuel Rubio and Danel Aboitiz (Aboitiz Power), Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala and Jose Maria P. Zabaleta (ACEN), Vivant Energy’s Emil Andre Garcia (Vivant), and Isidro Consunji (Semirara).
MBC also met separately with and then-National Transmission Corp. President Dr. Rowena Guevarra (now DOE Usec.)
10 January 2023 – MBC members met with ERC Chairwoman Monalisa C. Dimalanta. MBC Chairman Edgar Chua led the wide-ranging discussion.
MBC leaders Lorelei Osial (Shell); Miguel de Jesus (ACEN); Liza Montelibano and Sandro Aboitiz (Aboitiz Power Corporation); Leonor Felipa, Cynthia P. Alabanza, and Giovanni Randolfo A. Galang (National Grid Corporation of the Philippines); Cheryll Len V. Mendoza (Terra Renewables); and Andy Dimaandal (Amber Kinetics). Also joining the meeting were MBC Executive Director Coco Alcuaz and Policy and Program Officer Bettina Bautista.
Engaging Power Sector Players
MBC organized and participated in CSV’s meetings with more than a dozen major power players as part of its project to produce a Just Energy Transition Plan (JETP) for the Philippines. A JETP would pave the way for loans, guarantees, grants, and other instruments to enable an increase in renewable energy capacity. It is a bigger challenge for the Philippines because of our largely privatized energy sector. (In other countries, governments can more easily mandate and subsidize a shift, including subsidizing still higher renewable energy costs.) When CSV released their key findings after the discussions (prior to fuller reports), the stress was on a just and managed transition.
15 May 2023 – MBC met with Climargy Inc. CEO Alexander Ablaza, who stressed the importance of energy efficiency and conservation practices in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Climargy specializes in structuring and funding energy infrastructure upgrades for corporations.
31 May 2023 – MBC met with Cebu-based Vivant Energy Corporation CEO Emil Garcia. Garcia discussed initiatives to increase the RE generating capacity but stressed concerns on grid preparedness. Vivant has been keen to invest more in renewables and has since secured deals for solar and wind energy.
31 May 2023 – MBC continued its discussions on energy efficiency with Schneider Electric and Esme Solutions, both energy service companies (ESCOs). Schneider’s Norman Roland Ocana III and Esme’s Martin Ruby said policies should also promote energy efficiency, alongside adding to renewable energy.
30 June 2023 – MBC met with Meralco VP and Head of Networks Froilan Savet and Chief Sustainability Officer Raymond Ravelo. Key topic: grid connectivity.
30 June 2023 – MBC met with ACEN Chief Operating Officer Miguel De Jesus. ACEN is considered an energy transition model in the Philippines. ACEN has implemented a pioneering market-based Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) project with the early retirement of their 246 MW South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation (SLTEC) coal plant.
31 July 2023 – MBC met with First Gen VP for Strategy & Planning Jay Joel Soriano and Carlo Vega, head of FGen’s marketing group. They shared their interest in financing packages for transition and how LNG will play a key role in transitioning from coal. FGen is one of the few local generators who do not have coal in their energy mix.
02 August 2023 – MBC met with San Roque Power President and CEO Naoto Tago. Tago shared insights on the current energy market and emerging technology like hydrogen power. San Roque is jointly owned by Marubeni and Kansai Power.
25 August 2023 – MBC met with Semirara Mining and Power Corp. VP Christopher Gotianun. Gotianun discussed the need to ensure that energy transition must be cost-efficient given that coal still stands as one of the cheapest and reliable power sources especially in remote areas.
06 September 2023 – MBC met with San Miguel Power GM Elenita Go and AVP Gonzalo Julian Jr. Key topics: solar-based power projects, and San Miguel’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) initiative. They said they are investing in storage because it is needed to promote renewables, which do not produce 24/7.
18 September 2023 – MBC met with Quezon Power Managing Director Frank Thiel and colleagues Willie Jocson, Unchita Jittamai, and Eliza Rehal. Thiel expressed their interest in an energy transition mechanism but emphasized the social cost to the local community in terms of jobs and tax revenue.
22 September 2023 – MBC met with Alsons Power CEO Antonio Miguel Alcantara, Corporate Finance Head Philip Edward Sagun, and Corporate Finance Manager Emmanuel Zarate. Alsons is a key player in Mindanao and is gearing towards maximizing hydro power in the region. Alcantara noted that Mindanao is rich in resources for renewable energy and that the recent completion of the Visayas-Mindanao interconnection grid will help open up investment opportunities for the Mindanao power sector since stranded power can now also be brought to Visayas.
03 November 2023 – MBC met with Meralco Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and SVP Arnel Casanova. Key topics: (1) Initiatives to help bring stable power to the countryside by working with local cooperatives and (2) the need for the Philippines to upgrade the transmission grid and other infrastructure. The MBC group was led by Peter Maquera, Microsoft PH CEO and MBC board member.
24 November 2023 – MBC met with STEAG State Power President Dirk Sohns. Sohns discussed the costs of shifting to renewables such as higher power costs, and job and tax losses in areas where coal-fired plants will be closed.
11 December 2023 – MBC met with Aboitiz heads Manny Rubio and Danel Aboitiz. They said coal would remain important due to cost and reliability. They recommended the government focus on helping investors build and run all kinds of power projects (coal, RE, nuclear, gas). They also stressed the importance of improving transmission facilities.
15 December 2023 – CSV presented the key findings of its research, including the discussions with major power players (prior to fuller reports). CSV stressed the need for a just and managed transition and recommended clearer government policies and guidance. They underlined the need for innovative, blended financing to pursue energy transition. SEE MORE PHOTOS >>
29 February 2024 – Climate Smart Ventures launched its scoping study on the Philippine Just Energy Transition Package (PH JETP). MBC partnered with CSV on this initiative through engaging Philippine power sector private stakeholders. The final technical report with be released to the public soon. SEE MORE PHOTOS >>
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