SUSTAINABLE ENERGY. Engr. Jose Rey Maleza, DOE-Visayas' Energy Industry Management Division chief, is shown giving household conservation tips in a meeting in Cebu in a file photo. Maleza on Monday (Dec. 7, 2020) said the DOE-7 optimizes the use of the internet and social media in celebrating the agency's 48th anniversary by engaging the millennials in a webinar on renewable energy. (Contributed photo)
CEBU CITY – Looking at future players in the country's sustainable energy sector, the millennials will have a key role in celebrating the Department of Energy's (DOE) 48th anniversary this December, an official said.
Lou Artiaga, DOE-Visayas Energy Resource Development Utilization Division head, said the agency will conduct a webinar on the renewable sources of energy on Wednesday (Dec. 9).
The webinar, she said, will expose engineering students to the trends of renewable energy and technologies such as wind, biomass, hydro and ocean, and solar as sustainable sources of electricity in the country.
“The direction and major thrust of the government is more on the shift to renewable energy. The purpose of the webinar is to encourage engineering students and Science, Technology and Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand of K-12’s senior high school program to be aware of the significance of renewable energy and technologies,” Artiaga told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview on Monday.
Artiaga, who is also DOE-Visayas information officer, said the goal of the agency is to encourage future scientists to take up renewable energy as a career path and be part of the future manpower pool in the country.
Engr. Jose Rey Maleza, chief of the Energy Industry Management Division of DOE-Visayas, said they optimize the use of internet technology and social media in engaging the community related to their anniversary, considering that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic prohibits the conduct of face to face events.
On Monday, the DOE-Visayas engaged dealers and retailers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in a seminar on LPG industry rules conducted by Maleza and Engr. Evander Diola, a science research specialist of the agency's Visayas office.
The webinar underscored the need for establishments to obtain a business permit from the local government units (LGUs), a fire safety inspection certificate from the Bureau of Fire and Protection, and the Standard Compliance Certificate (SCC) from the DOE before trading LPG products.
On Thursday, the agency will also engage energy conservation officers of companies in another webinar on "energy efficiency and conservation" that will highlight the use of renewable sources of power to cut costs and at the same time encourage private sector participation in energy conservation efforts.
The agency will also hold a separate webinar for liquid fuel players in Cebu on Thursday.
Maleza said the agency had also conducted training for LGU treasurers in the towns of Consolacion, Liloan, and Mandaue City on how to calibrate fuel pumps and a separate webinar for the southern gasoline station companies.
He also said the DOE is promoting the use of hybrid cars and is enticing motorists to buy non-carbon emitting vehicles to lessen pollution. The agency is helping the government in disseminating to the public information on efforts to revive nuclear energy as a sustainable and cheap source of electric power.
Maleza said the agency depends on the active participation of the energy sector stakeholders and LGUs for the successful implementation of the policies, plans, and programs of the government.
Although the DOE has regulatory power, he said they need the participation of the private sector and law enforcement units in enforcing industry laws, rules, and regulations and in apprehending violators.
This year's DOE anniversary theme is "Building a Sustainable Energy Future Amidst a Challenging Landscape".
DOE-Visayas officials and employees will culminate the celebration through a learning materials distribution and feeding program in Danao City, Cebu. (PNA)
