As part of the administration’s efforts to pursue sustainable energy and energy efficiency, the Climate Change Commission (Commission), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Energy (DOE), and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to spearhead the pilot test of an energy-efficiency initiative for five buildings in the Malacañang compound.

Commission Vice Chair Mary Ann Lucille L. Sering said that this is a clear commitment by President Benigno C. Aquino to lead by example as the MOU set the tone for the formulation of policy that will encourage government in providing an enabling business environment for the private sector to invest on energy efficiency and conservation programs.

“In fact, one of the priorities of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) of the Philippines, which the President approved last year, is to pursue sustainable energy. This initiative is also in line with the DOE’s current initiative on energy efficiency and conservation.” Sering said.

Under the agreement, the Commission was given an opportunity by the DBM to lead the coordination with relevant National Government Agencies in greening the Malacañang buildings. It is tasked to facilitate the bidding and procurement policies and may refer to BPI the Energy Service Companies (ESCO) with Energy Efficiency Performance Contract with government agencies for financing requirements.

Also under the agreement, the DBM will handle the bid-and-award process and monitor the energy savings it generated while the DOE will lead the formulation of monitoring mechanisms to determine the actual savings from under this project. The DOE will also assist the Commission and DBM in crafting the guidelines for energy-conserving design of government buildings and utilities.

Sering said that initially, the project will be implemented particularly in the Malacañang Palace, Mabini Hall, the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) building, the New Executive Building (NEB) and the DBM Building II, where BPI will provide assistance in the preliminary energy walkthrough audit of these buildings which will also serve as models under an energy efficiency performance arrangement.

DBM Secretary Florencio B. Abad also stated that the administration would like to undertake this as we are pursuing measures that will generate savings and will promote environmental awareness and conservation. Sering added that this will not only save cost but it will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is according to science is the reason of climate change. “It will be a small contribution to the rest of the world even if we are not a major emitter.”