PHILIPPINES DOE PUSHES 5-POINT ENERGY SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM.

MANILA, May 1 Asia Pulse - Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said the government is now pushing for five-point energy strategy that would assure the Philippines' independence on imported fuel.

Speaking before the delegates of the recently concluded 4th Lagos Economic Summit, Reyes said, the Philippines is now focusing on achieving its program for energy sufficiency particularly the renewable energy program.

"The path toward energy independence rests on a five-point strategy: accelerate the exploration and development of our indigenous oil and gas resources, develop our renewable energy potentials, increase the use of alternative fuels, enhance our energy efficiency and conservation programs, and form strategic alliances with other countries for energy complementation and technology exchange," he explained.

The energy chief also stressed that Lagos, which is being groomed to be Africa's model mega city, can even attain its energy sufficiency if it would focus on its resources.

He said the Philippines and Nigeria have several issues in common such as high energy costs and tariff structure, uneven distribution of energy infrastructure and reliability and security of power supply." But Reyes stressed that in terms of oil reserves, the Philippines is lagging behind Nigeria.

By contrast to Nigeria which ...