Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2) president Alexander Ablaza on Wednesday called on members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) to fast-track energy efficiency upgrades in their operations, citing the urgent need to reduce energy costs and carbon footprints.

Speaking at the PCCI Environment Forum, Ablaza said, “I imagine that all PCCI members, ranging from medium-sized firms to the large corporates, are designated establishments in the commercial, industrial, and transport sectors under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Act. While many of you are driven to decarbonize your operations, there is a more urgent imperative to reduce your energy footprint and costs through scaled-up energy efficiency interventions.”

Ablaza also highlighted how the Department of Energy (DOE) has widened the scope of compliance under the EE&C law by lowering the annual consumption threshold to 50,001 kWh, thereby capturing more businesses as designated establishments (DEs).

“Fortunately, RA 11285 likewise serves to strengthen the ESCO sector, which is seen to catalyze more EE technology deployment and capital outside the balance sheets of DEs. The number of ESCOs registered and certified by DOE continues to rise, and many of these companies have started to embrace more innovative ESCO business models such as shared savings performance contracts and even cooling-as-a-service (CaaS),” he said.

The forum also featured messages from Department of Energy – Energy Utilization Management Bureau Director Patrick T. Aquino, Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials, and PCCI Excellence in Ecology and Economy (E3) awardees who shared best practices in environmental management.

Organized by the PCCI Environment and Climate Change Committee, the annual event is a key platform for advancing regulatory awareness, business sustainability, and leadership in environmental responsibility across industries.

What’s your take on how the industry can lead in meeting EE&C targets while staying competitive? Let’s discuss.

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Photo credit: PE2