DOE conducts energy efficiency workshop
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 30 – With an objective to develop policy
measures and instruments that will sustain the switch to more energy efficient
appliances and equipment, starting with electric motors and drive systems, the
two-day Regional Workshop on Energy Efficiency and Minimum Energy Performance
in the Commercial and Industrial Sectors is held on Wednesday until today at
the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.
Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary
Leonido J. Pulido, III welcomed the foreign guests and participants as he
formally opened the workshop.
Asec. Pulido congratulated the European
Union-Switch Asia (EU-Switch Asia) through the European Union-High Efficiency
Motors (HEMs) Project for initiating the event aimed at sharing knowledge and
experiences in promoting energy efficiency in industries within the ASEAN
region and at the same time, designing and implementing the minimum energy
performance standards for electric motors.
“Energy has become a volatile commodity and serious
concern worldwide. The Philippines through the Department of Energy (DOE) has
continued to exhaust all means and technologies to sustain a stable supply for
the country,” said Pulido.
He added that the DOE has initiated the National
Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Program (NEECP) which is
envisioned to promote EE&C as a way of life for every Filipino and at the
same time mitigate the impact of price increases and the effects of greenhouse
gas emissions. Among the major
components of the NEECP are the information, education and communication
campaigns to increase the consumer’s level of awareness while instilling values
formation on the benefits of energy efficiency and conservation.
The Government Energy Management Program aims to
sustain the judicious and efficient utilization of energy resources by
integrating the concept of energy efficiency into the operations and
procurement practices of government agencies and government offices.
The DOE is intensifying its efforts to empower the
consumers in selecting the most efficient appliances available in the market
through our Standards and Labeling Program which involves the posting of energy
guides to indicate the energy rating of a particular appliance that was tested
by DOE in our Lighting and Appliance Testing Laboratory.
Pulido revealed the launching of the website
wattmatters.org.ph, which allows consumers to check the wattage, efficiency
rating and consumption of household appliances such as television sets,
refrigerators, air-conditioning units, etc.
This website also provides practical energy conservation tips to
consumers in order to save in their electricity bills.
He also mentioned the Energy Efficiency Road Map
2017-2040 which targets the sectors of Transport, Residential, Industrial and
Commercial establishments that will guide in the generation of energy savings
of approximately 25,644 Thousand Tons of Oil.
“Albeit the significant accomplishments gained
through these measures, the DOE recognizes that these are still not enough so
we seek and encourage the active participation of the public and private
sectors as well as our international partners to help us in achieving our goal
of becoming a more energy efficient nation.
We are expecting that through this workshop, we
will be able to obtain an outsider’s point of view as to how we are performing
in terms of utilizing energy efficient technologies in our industries. What we
will gain will be assessed and applied to our existing policies and programs,”
underscored Pulido.
The workshop is being organized by the DOE in
partnership with the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the
Philippines (IIEE) and other local and international organizations.
(DOE/PIA-Caraga)
DSWD Caraga produces 48 graduates for leadership
for convergence program
By Abegail R. Alvarez
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Mar. 30 - A total of 48 field
staff or City/Municipal Action Team (C/MAT) leaders of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga finally completed the Leadership for
Convergence Program (LCP) in partnership with Xavier University-SEARSOLIN, this
city.
The said graduates who are already employed in the
Department met the requirements and passed the standards of performance set by
the said University.
To celebrate their success, the agency conducted
the Leadership for Convergence Program Colloquium, which was attended by DSWD
Caraga OIC-Regional Director Mita Chuchi Gupana-Lim on March 17, 2017 in
Cagayan de Oro City.
The said graduates were trained with the modules on
Leadership Skills, Team Management, Partnership Building, and Technical
Writing. This course was taken within a period of 6 months or more wherein all
corresponding school fees were paid by DSWD.
Keynote Speaker Romeo P. Tiongco, former Mayor of
Damulog, Bukidnon and Asian Institute of Management - Mindanao Bridging
Leadership Fellow, lauded and reminded the graduates about leadership during
the graduation ceremony.
“A good leader has a clear vision and carries it to
his community. I hope that this success will lead you to become a great leader
not just in your workplace, but also to the community that you belong,” said
Tiongco.
Also, Lim congratulated the graduates for their
efforts.
“I commend you all in succeeding this endeavor
despite and in spite the hurdles you’ve encountered along your journey,” said
Lim.
“To our dear graduates, I hope that the things
you’ve learned from this program and institution will never be put in vain. We
are hoping that you grow individually and professionally through this and will
be able to find your purpose in working with DSWD and in serving our
beneficiaries,” she added.
Prior the graduation ceremony, the C/MAT leaders
attended the leadership retreat which aims to deepen their understanding about
leadership as well as their commitment as public servant. Also, they
individually shared their leadership journey through Public Narratives in front
of the panelist. The said report highlights their leadership challenges and
their response in improving the social welfare system of their respective
municipalities.
With these achievements, the said C/MAT leaders are
expected to initiate strategies on how to ensure that the programs and services
of the department are maximized.
The LCP is a leadership capability intervention of
the department for C/MAT leaders. It aims to improve their leadership and
partnership skills and instill appropriate mental models through Bridging
Leadership Framework to effectively facilitate the operationalization of
Convergence Strategy in their respective municipality. (Social Marketing Unit/DSWD
Field Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan blaze kills 2, destroys P15M property
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 30 - A major fire broke out in
the city that left major damages to properties and took lives of siblings
Tuesday.
PCSupt Rolando B Felix, Caraga Police Regional
Director said the fire started near the kitchen of a residence in Brgy. New
Society Village that trailed off to more or less 50 neighboring residential and
commercial buildings. The operatives from Butuan City Police Office, Bureau of
Fire and Protection 13, and other private fire trucks instantly responded to
the incident that lasted for more or less one hour.
An estimated P15,000,000 worth of damaged
properties were initially reported while a one year old victim identified as
Zion Lisondra Marqueta was charred to death and his four year old brother named
Justine Dayn Marqueta died due to his acquired 2nd degree burn.
“The Police operatives has prevented possible
looting at the scene in the incident as they assisted the traffic and rerouting
of vehicles to assist the responding fire fighters. Further investigation of
the incident is in full swing,” Felix assured. (PNP-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
U.S. gov’t commits support for development in
Mindanao
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 30 – In account to the vibrant
economic relationship of the United States (U.S) and the Republic of the
Philippines, U.S. Ambassador Sung Y. Kim conveyed the U.S. government’s
wholehearted support to the country with emphasis on the commitment to Mindanao
development.
Ambassador Kim had a friendly and productive
meeting with Philippine president Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Davao City on Monday.
They discussed the extensive bilateral partnership over the years as well as
cooperation on counterterrorism, child protection, piracy, and economic
development in Mindanao. The ambassador
highlighted U.S.-Philippine partnerships in the region that strengthen the
local economy and promote peace and stability.
Also, in honoring Women’s History Month, ambassador
Kim highlighted the Embassy’s U.S. Agency for International Development funding
for a project of training women to weave nets that stop erosion and landslides
along the roadways in Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur.
The U.S. government has pledged more than P3.5
billion for dozens of projects in Mindanao over the next few years, including
the Roll-on, Roll-off, or RO-RO, nautical highway. On April 30, the route will connect the
cities of Davao and General Santos to Bitung in the Sulawesi Island of
Indonesia. This accomplishment will help
U.S. and Philippine businesses operating in Mindanao increase their exports at
great savings.
The ambassador also shared a few concrete examples
of the close business ties between U.S. companies and Mindanao. Demand from U.S. clients generates an
estimated 40,000 well-paying BPO jobs in Mindanao. Cargill, a U.S. agricultural corporation,
exports P7.5 billion worth of coconut oil every year, much of which comes from
Mindanao, supporting tens of thousands of Mindanao farmers. Together with its partners Deutsche
Gesellschaft fΓΌr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and BASF, Cargill has
trained more than 1,000 coconut farmers since 2011 on improving agricultural
practices. As a result, 300 small
farmers from the region have been certified to produce the world’s first
Rainforest Alliance certified copra, raising their incomes by 15 percent.
For more on U.S. government programs in Mindanao
and across the Philippines, visit ph.usembassy.gov or on Facebook account at
www.facebook.com/manila.usembassy/. (U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)
