The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a circular that would help indigenous communities fully access and utilize the financial benefits they could acquire from hosting power generation facilities and/or energy resource development projects.
This circular follows the Energy Regulations (ER) 1-94 Program, which is intended to compensate for the contributions made by the hosting communities.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) shall endorse all qualified indigenous communities and peoples beneficiaries to the DOE within 30 days from receiving all the necessary requirements from the ICCs/ IPs, as stated under the Department Circular (DC) C2019-06-0010.
The involved power generation company or developer will then be notified by the DOE to include the ICCs/ IPs for the remittance of their financial benefits.
This will enable the ICCs/ IPs to use the funds on their planned social development projects.
Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said the department is aware of the rights of tribal and indigenous communities to preserve their critical role as the stewards of the energy sources where the energy development projects are sited.
“The host ICCs/IPs’ receipt of financial benefits from power plants situated within their ancestral domain is a symbolic way to mark the 25th year of implementing ER 1-94. This arrangement with the ICCs/IPs further strengthens the DOE’s commitment to boost their participation, cooperation and sustained partnership in power development projects,” Cusi was quoted in a BusinessMirror report.
Meanwhile the DOE-Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) held another public consultation on the draft DC that would help the end-users, RE suppliers, and network service providers in choosing RE resources to supply their energy requirements.
The consultation discussed guidelines and procedures in acquiring, administration, and revocation of RE operation permits.
“The DOE is committed to establish an energy-secure future and bolstering our country’s RE resources is one avenue to achieve this. I am confident that the GEOP (Green Energy Option Program) will give rise to a reliable market for RE generation and enhance competition among RE and other power suppliers,” said Cusi.
