MANILA: The Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday said Administrative Order (AO) 15 signed this month by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. which aims to accelerate energy efficiency and conservation efforts in all public offices will save the government PHP2 billion.

‘The accelerated implementation of GEMP (Government Energy Management Program) under AO 15 is estimated to result in up to nearly PHP2 billion in savings for both electricity and fuel, based on the average savings from 2023,’ the DOE said in a statement.

In 2023, the GEMP helped the government saved over 30 million kilowatt-hour of electricity and 386,083.59 liters of fuel, which is equal to PHP300 million and PHP25 million of electricity and fuel savings.

‘The President wants the entire government to embrace energy conservation measures. AO 15 will intensify our efficient utilization and conservation efforts in the use of electricity and fuel to help mitigate energy demand, especially with the onset of El Niño,’ DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla
said.

Lotilla said the government should be an example for Filipinos in practicing energy efficiency and conservation as a sustainable lifestyle, and not only during the El Niño phenomenon.

Under the GEMP, all government offices should cut electricity and fuel consumption by 10 percent through energy efficiency and conservation strategies, such as maintaining ambient temperature in airconditioned spaces at 24 degrees Celsius, turning off unused lights and air conditioning units, and activating sleep settings on office equipment, among others.

Meanwhile, the implementing guidelines of the AO 15 will be released in less than a month.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA : The Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP) and local carriers have agreed to intensify measures to prevent bomb joke incidents in airports across the country, an official said Thursday.

There were eight incidents of bomb jokes in 2023, and the AVSEGROUP has so far logged three incidents in 2024. These happened in different airports, check-in counters, hold baggage areas, and inside the aircraft.

“We met with the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board) and have sought the cooperation of airlines to further prevent bomb joke incidents, and to help us in making the public aware of the Anti-Bomb Joke Law,” AVSEGROUP Director Jack Wanky told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview.

Wanky said the AVSEGROUP has sought the airlines’ cooperation, citing as an example the bomb joke incident at the Bicol International Airport in October 2023, when a paper with the word “bomb” written on it was found inside an aircraft lavatory.

“The airline didn’t want to provide us the passenger’
s identity due to the Data Privacy Act, although we were able to eventually trace the passenger. What was reported to us was the seat number of the last person who used the lavatory,” he said.

The airline involved, he said, now agrees to provide them the passenger details in future cases, but noted that it has to undergo process so as not to violate the Data Privacy Act.

Wanky said most of the suspects were first-time air travelers and are unaware of the law. Thus, he is seeking the carriers’ help in informing passengers of security risk items they shouldn’t put in their luggage.

“We also suggested to have a survey, for instance, prior to issuing tickets. The survey could include questions like ‘Are you a first-time traveler?’ ‘Are you aware of the Anti-Bomb Joke Law?’,” he suggested.

The official said that while some tickets contain reminders, most passengers may not notice these since some are just for their flight schedule. Further, many are purchasing tickets online. So, he suggested to include a surv
ey.

Wanky also said that those who make bomb jokes would only face sanctions if a case would be filed against them.

Meanwhile, in a statement, low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) said they have been coordinating with the Manila International Airport Authority as well as the Office for Transportation Security to further raise awareness via posters or signages in the airport.

Cebu Pacific VP for Customer Service Operations Lei Apostol said airlines have to delay flights for several hours due to bomb jokes.

“The consequences of a delayed flight may be exponential to an airline. Every delayed flight has a domino effect throughout the day. This is a serious cost to the airlines and may mean thousands of passengers being disrupted,” Apostol said.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed concerned agencies to implement the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) 2023-2050 and conduct an intensified public awareness campaign in ‘high-risk’ regions, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Marcos issued the directive during a meeting with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other concerned agencies at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Wednesday to discuss the key outcomes of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28), Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.

Garafil said the NAP 2023-2050 and the draft Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan (NDCIP) 2023-2030 were also presented to Marcos during the meeting.

In his meeting with the DENR and other concerned agencies, Marcos said all efforts under the NDCIP and NAP must be in the interest of the Philippines, especially those in high-risk areas.

‘It’s a big, big (task). This covers three decades and the entire country. It’s a completely different situat
ion when it comes to climate change. Anyway, I think that’s the approach that we should take. We have to try and work our way down through the system-the economic system-so that we can address the specific situations, the specific conditions (of each area),’ Marcos said, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office.

‘The best that we can do is number one, be very specific on what is necessary for the Philippines. If we take care of the Philippines, we can bet with confidence that we are doing our part. So, asikasuhin muna natin ‘yung Pilipinas (Let’s take care of the Philippines first), what is good for us. So, the communities that are high risk, ano kailangan nila (What do they need)? Let’s focus on that,’ he added.

Marcos also emphasized the importance of providing guidance and assistance to areas that need support from various local government units (LGUs) to improve climate change mitigation efforts at a local level that would benefit the country as a whole.

He said concerned government agencies
and LGUs must have a full comprehension of the NDCIP 2023-2030 and NAP 2023-2050 to ensure the effective implementation of the plans.

He added ordinary people must also have a full grasp of the two plans, as well as of the risks posed by the changing climate.

DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga told Marcos about the several ongoing bilateral projects that deal with adaptation and resilience of LGUs.

Yulo-Loyzaga said the projects include the ongoing USD15-million to USD16-million Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities Against Disasters and Climate Change in the Philippines (SHIELD) project backed by Australian government and a United States (US)-funded project called Climate Resilient Cities focusing on metropolis.

‘There is a Canadian offer for another… also LGU-based for adaptation. So kasama po namin ang DILG (So, the DILG is involved) in these particular implementations. So, there is already bilateral funding, specifically for the localization of adaptation and resilience,’ she sai
d.

In a statement posted on state-run Radio Television Malacañang, Marcos also expressed his intention to engage the private sector and development partners to strengthen the country’s climate change adaptation and disaster risk management.

Marcos also stressed the need to participate in international environmental events, saying such participation would contribute to an influential and resourceful actions in combating climate change in the Philippines.

In December last year, the DENR and the Climate Change Commission (CCC), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank and the government of the United Kingdom, conducted a high-level panel discussion on the Philippines’ commitment in the NAP and NDCIP.

The discussion also served as a platform in mobilizing financing for these national plans.

The NAP aims to steadily reduce climate-related loss and damage as well as build the country’s adaptive capacity towards transformative adaptation, resilience and sustainable economic development by 2050.

The NDCIP
, on the other hand, is the Philippines’ commitment to the Paris Agreement which sets to bring about sustainable industrial development; eradication of poverty and provision of basic needs; securing social and climate justice; and energy security.

Source: Philippines News Agency