Earlier this week, the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Power Corporation (NPC) announced that they will be selling government-procured diesel at P80 per liter to power providers operating in remote and off-grid provinces. The initiative is being carried out to “help sustain generation operations, prevent power interruptions, and cushion consumers from sharp increases in electricity rates.”
Examples of island provinces provided by the DOE include Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Siquijor—regions still highly dependent on diesel generation to sustain electric needs.
Up to 45 million liters of diesel will be sold over the next three months to new power providers and microgrid system providers serving remote areas. This will ensure that citizens in these provinces can continue to carry out their everyday lives.
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DOE secretary Sharon Garin commented: “Providing assistance for the diesel requirements of power providers serving missionary areas is a concrete and proactive measure to help protect electricity access and the welfare of thousands of Filipinos living in remote and island communities outside the main grid.”
This initiative is in line with the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport or UPLIFT, the coordinated government intervention put into motion by the declared State of National Energy Emergency brought about by war in the Middle East.
The Philippines’ fuel supply has largely remained stable thanks to imports from alternative fuel suppliers, with the last DOE report declaring 54 days worth of supply averaged across fuel categories. This week’s fuel price adjustment also made diesel cheaper at the pump than gasoline in most areas.
