The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has reinforced its push for deeper market reforms and stronger regulatory capacity through its participation in the Philippine Energy Mission to the All-Energy Australia Conference 2025. The event gathered Philippine and Australian regulators, who exchanged insights on market design, consumer protection, and renewable energy integration. The engagement even brought together key Philippine agencies and private sector partners to explore collaboration opportunities in clean energy and market innovation.

The mission, held from October 27 to 31, was organized by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) with support from the Australian Philippines Business Council (APBC). The ERC also extended its congratulations to the APBC on its 50th anniversary, noting the council’s long-standing role in strengthening bilateral business relations and promoting sustainable growth between the two countries.

As part of the program, the ERC delegation met with the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) and the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for discussions on energy market design, capacity and demand-side participation, pricing frameworks, compliance mechanisms, and consumer protection. 

These engagements support the ERC’s efforts to enhance its institutional understanding of best practices that promote transparency, efficiency, and consumer welfare in the electricity market.

Director Sharon O. Montañer represented the ERC in various sessions, including a panel on the Philippines’ net metering program where she highlighted consumer participation in distributed generation. She also delivered a keynote address providing an overview of the Philippine power industry and emphasized the country’s renewable energy policies, regulatory initiatives, and work to strengthen market competitiveness.

The conference also offered briefings, site visits, investor roundtables, and engagements with Australian counterparts. The ERC expressed appreciation to Austrade for facilitating the exchanges, saying the mission supports ongoing efforts to build regulatory excellence and ensure that Filipino consumers benefit from a more efficient, transparent, and sustainable energy market.

What opportunities do you think international regulatory partnerships can unlock for the Philippines’ energy sector?

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Photo Credit: ERC Website