ERC on Energy Security
6 March 2023/ERC-Planning and Public Information Service
ERC Chairperson and CEO Monalisa C. Dimalanta (first photo) delivered a comprehensive discussion on the challenges and prospects facing the energy sector within the context of ensuring energy security before scholars of the Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) program of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) (third photo). MNSA Regular Course 58 (RC-58) Class President Atty. Teodoro Jose S. Matta awards the token of appreciation to Chair Dimalanta ( center photo). MNSA program scholars includes military officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and allied countries such as Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Thailand, officials from the Philippines’ national government agencies, and an executive from the private sector. QUEZON CITY – On 28 February 2023, Chairperson and CEO Monalisa C. Dimalanta, chief executive of the country’s sole energy regulator, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), was invited by the NDCP as a lecturer on the topic “Energy Security: The Philippine Journey – Overview, Challenges, & Prospects” at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo.
Highlighting four (4) major elements of energy security, i.e., availability, affordability, efficiency, and environmental stewardship, she explained that availability of energy supply is best maintained by utilization of diversified energy services and promotion of energy systems that are capable of recovering from attack or disruption. Minimizing, if not altogether removing, reliance on foreign supply of fuel, determines the country’s self-sufficiency. While the government continues to provide energy access to millions of households that remain unserved, affordability remains a continuing challenge.
Further, efficiency in the energy sector demands both improvement in the performance of energy equipment and alteration of consumer attitudes. The latter is effected through an increase of confidence in clean, affordable, and sustainable energy. Finally, Chairperson Dimalanta aptly emphasized environmental stewardship as the most tangible manifestation of protection of the national environment and future generations.
Understanding the elements of energy security forges the path towards realizing energy democracy. Chairperson Dimalanta shared the ERC’s initiatives in providing the regulatory framework that creates an emerging power system aligned with national security goals. Among these initiatives are Competitive Selection Processes, Retail Competition and Retail Aggregation, Green Energy Option, Distributed and Diversified Energy Resources, Net-Metering Program, and Microgrids.
The NDCP is the country’s highest government center for education and research on defense and national security. The MNSA is NDCP’s main academic program that offers a unique master’s degree course covering the broad spectrum of policies and programs in the specialized field of national security administration. NDCP’s distinguished alumni includes Fidel V. Ramos, 12th President of the Philippines; Jejomar Binay, former Vice-President; and Loren Legarda, Senator, to name a few. The NDCP maintained its very highly selective method of choosing lecturers. It considers, among others exposure to and mastery in the field.
The NDCP MNSA audience therefore offers an effective forum to catalyze meaningful discussion on the constantly evolving issue of national security. It does so by highlighting the indispensable role energy security plays within the broader concept of national security. As a recognized practitioner in the energy industry with her more than 20 years of experience in the sector, Chairperson Dimalanta offered in-depth and pragmatic perspectives on Philippine energy security.
The ERC Chairperson and CEO ended her lecture with a call to action towards energy democracy as an important element of energy security.