Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla says that the government is nearing the issuance of its first service contracts for native hydrogen exploration, which is still awaiting President Marcos Jr.’s approval.
In a report by Philippine Star, Lotilla said that the bidding for hydrogen exploration service contracts covering predetermined areas (PDAs) in Central Luzon had already moved forward, and the contracts would still need to be forwarded to the President’s office.
During the August 2024 bid round, the Department of Energy (DOE) obtained five hydrogen exploration applications, three of which are for PDA-PH-1 and two for PDA-PH-2. These proposals have passed their initial evaluations and are now eligible for a more detailed review.
Lotilla refrained from disclosing further details on the bidding but mentioned that deadlines for interested companies have already passed.
A full assessment, including legal, technical, and financial reviews, is expected to conclude by the end of 2024, with top applicants to be submitted for the president’s approval.
The Energy Secretary stated that announcements will be made once the President approves the contracts.
According to the DOE, this bid round saw a record number of valid applications for PDAs, surpassing previous rounds in 2015 and 2018-2019.
