ENERGY CONSERVATION, WHICH embarks on a habit of turning off lights or unplugging devices when not in use, has proven to be an effective way to reduce the cost of electricity. But for the lakeshore town of Angono in the province of Rizal, there are many other ways to trim down their monthly bill.
‘We call it efficiency. It’s basically the use of up-to-date technology under the category of renewable energy – solar lamps, LED lights and inverter units.’
LOCAL INITIATIVE
According to Mayor Jeri Mae Calderon, the municipal government since 2021 has adopted the use of solar panels to light up the municipal hall, parks and other government facilities for which they were able to save a significant chunk of their allocation.
“We call it efficiency. It’s basically the use of up-to-date technology under the category of renewable energy – solar lamps, LED lights and inverter units,” Calderon was quoted in a news report years ago.
Angono adopted a local energy management program two years after Republic Act 11285 (Government Energy Management Program) was enacted.
FAST FORWARD
Even after the RA 11285 was enacted, only a handful complied, compelling the Department of Interior and Local Government to issue Memorandum Circular 2025-515, directing LGUs to craft a Local Energy Efficiency Conservation (EEC) Plan.
In a press release sent to the PH Insider, Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jonvic Remulla cited the urgent need for the LGUs to present local conservation strategies, target cost reductions, and motor vehicle inventories.
This comes as the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) chief urged LGUs to intensify energy conservation efforts by implementing the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP).
GEMP UP-CLOSE
For one, the Philippine government has long been bragging on its plan to reduce its fuel consumption through initiatives like the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) which mandates government agencies to reduce their electricity and fuel consumption by 10 percent.
In 2023, the government saved over P325 million on electricity and fuel through these efforts, conserving over 30 million kWh of electricity and 386,083.59 liters of fuel. The reduction is based on data from 1,210 audited government offices.
The Department of Energy (DOE) pegged nearly P2 billion in total savings.