Manila—The Philippines government and the United States of
America Government, through the U.S. Embassy in Manila launched a new program on
Nov. 25 that will help the Philippines bring down the cost of power.
U.S. Ambassador to the
Philippines, Philip S. Goldberg joined National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA) Director-General Arsenio M. Balisacan, , and Department of
Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla, to launch the Energy Policy and
Development Program (EPDP).
Funded by the U.S. Embassy
Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and
implemented by UPecon Foundation, Inc., EPDP is a four-year, P225 million (US$5
million) project that aims to strengthen the Philippine government’s capacity
to formulate evidence-based policies and strategies for the cost-effective use
of energy resources towards environmentally-sound energy development.
“The Philippines has become
one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and represents new opportunities
for trade and investment that create jobs. Crucial to this, businesses need
stable supply and low cost power to be competitive while households need access
to reliable and affordable electricity to be productive,” Ambassador Goldberg
said. “This new partnership will help develop and promote knowledge, research
and best practices in the energy sector that will be important to sustain the
impressive growth achieved by the Philippines in the recent years.”
EPDP will work to promote an
energy policy and reform agenda. It will operate as an independent think tank
that guides and informs policy and decision-making, and provides inputs to
establish an academic and policy program at the University of the Philippines.
EPDP will also help inform private sector business strategies in ways that
support sustainable economic development.
“The Philippine Development
Plan Midterm Update 2011-2016 emphasizes the need for sustainable, reliable,
and efficient use of energy resources, as well as the development of
environment-friendly energy technologies. The EPDP can provide invaluable
guidance to stakeholders in the energy sector and policymakers in government in
the crucial years ahead,” NEDA Secretary Balisacan said.
Key to advancing EPDP’s
research agenda, the program will assist the University of the Philippines
School of Economics to develop institutional linkages with U.S. universities
and institutions with expertise in the energy sector, to include: University of
Hawaii, Tufts University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, International
Food Policy Research Institute, and University of California Energy Institute.
EPDP builds upon a long
history of partnership between the United States and the Philippines, which was
solidified under the bilateral Partnership for Growth (PFG). “The U.S.
Government, through USAID will continue to support the Government of the
Philippines’ efforts to reduce the high cost of electricity and promote access
to affordable power,” said USAID Mission Director Gloria D. Steele.
Under the PFG, both
governments are addressing the most serious constraints to inclusive growth in
the Philippines. EPDP contributes to this by fostering a more competitive
business environment for the country through sustained and affordable energy
supplies. (US Embassy news)
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