ILOILO City – The Department of Energy (DOE) has intensified its efforts to ensure local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas adhere to the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP), a requirement under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act.
Lourdes Arciaga, chief of DOE Visayas Energy Resource Development and Utilization Division, announced that the department has escalated spot-checking activities across the region. The goal is to gauge LGUs’ compliance with energy management mandates, with completion expected by next year.
Arciaga highlighted the energy management strategies mandated by the GEMP, which include adopting energy efficiency and conservation measures to reduce electricity and fuel consumption and implementing renewable energy systems.
Additionally, LGUs are required to establish their own Energy Efficiency and Conservation Office (EECO).
As of December 31 of the previous year, only 42 of the 139 LGUs had established an EECO. While 61 LGUs maintain active GEMP online accounts, discrepancies in energy management practices remain: 10 have issued energy efficiency measures, 30 have submitted their electricity consumption data, and 15 reported their fuel usage.
The DOE official commended the towns of Batad, Dueñas, Leganes, and Mina — all in Iloilo — for achieving scores between 88 percent and 100 percent, which equates to a five-star rating in GEMP compliance.
Other notable mentions included Pavia, which received a high compliance or four-star rating, and Tapaz in Capiz, along with Salvador Benedicto and Isabela in Negros Occidental, all of which achieved acceptable compliance or three stars. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN
