26 JULY 2019, TAGUIG CITY—The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), recently hosted a two-day workshop to update the 2002 National Energy Contingency Plan (NECP). They engaged key players among the public and private sectors to craft a harmonized multi-sectoral preparedness and response measure for the energy sector.
“The DOE is committed to ensure the continuous delivery of energy to the people, even in times of disasters. We are constantly working with our partners from both the public and private sectors to establish a strong culture of readiness, prompt response operations, as well as enhance our rebuilding capacities. We must always be ready given that a disaster may strike anywhere at any time,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.
The DOE and PDRF likewise aim to develop the Resiliency Compliance Plan (RCP), highlighting the four primary aspects for energy security and disaster preparedness, namely: systems, stockpiling, response and recovery, and strengthening of infrastructure.
The event underscored the importance of coordination and cross-sectoral cooperation in establishing resiliency measures that will benefit the Filipino people, which included the oil contingency plan which aims to ensure the continuous flow of the oil supply chain in the event of any disaster.
In his opening message, PDRF President Butch Meily said, “We are stronger when we work together. That’s why a public-private sector partnership to strengthen resilience is so important.”
Among the resource persons to the workshop were DOE Undersecretary and Chairperson of the DOE Task Force on Energy Resiliency Alexander S. Lopez, Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change and Officer in Charge of the PHIVOLCS Dr. Renato U. Solidum, the officers and representatives from the National Grid Corporation, National Electrification Administration, Manila Electric Company, Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Philippine Institute for Petroleum and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.