Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas vowed to give incentives to investors of natural gas and other forms of clean energy to meet the country’s need for stable sources of energy with a lesser negative impact on the environment.

Under the current set up, the Philippines is heavily dependent on coal and oil as sources of energy, with more coal-fired power plants expected to be constructed to meet the country’s demand for more electricity due to a booming economy.

“The point here is we really need energy. If I become President, I will give incentives to the natural gas and other clean energy such as geothermal and hydroelectric so that more of our energy would come from clean energy sources,” said Roxas.

Roxas said he preferred natural gas, citing that it is cheaper compared to other clean or renewable sources of energy.

It takes a huge fund to set up renewable energy plants and Roxas said the cost of its construction would eventually be passed on to the consumers, defeating the purpose of coming up with stable and cheaper electricity.

Citing data, Roxas said the cost of solar and wind energy ranges from P8 to P8.50 per kilowatt hour while the natural gas ranges from P3.50 to P4.

“We would not want expensive electricity because this would eventually impact the jobs that would be created by industrialization,” said Roxas.

Local and international environmental groups have been lobbying for renewable energy sources, saying the coal and oil-based energy sources contribute to global warming which eventually leads to drastic climate change. They said the results would be stronger and frequent typhoons and longer and more intense drought such what the country is now experiencing.

Roxas explained that there is a need for transition to clean energy since the Philippines is among the countries that experience the more serious impact of climate change.

Three years ago, the Philippines was hit by super-typhoon Yolanda, the strongest typhoon in the world, which claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people. Presently, the country is experiencing a severe drought or the El Nino.

Roxas’ platform is based on the creation of more jobs, with the LP standard-bearer saying that he could do that, citing as proof the entry and eventual boom of the call center industry which he initiated.

Jericho Petilla, one of the candidates for senator under the Roxas-Leni Robredo slate, has anchored his platform and campaign slogan on the promise of a stabilized and cheaper electric power.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Aaron B. Recuenco

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