Alternative energy sources top concern of business leaders in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY — Business leaders emphasized that finding alternative sources of energy is the top concern of the business sector in Mindanao following the Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA’s) forecast that the island will be facing a power shortage in the next five years.

General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Miguel Rene Alcantara Dominguez told Businessworld that one of the topics presented by MinDA Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro in a forum last month was the growing concern that Mindanao be losing power by 2027 to 2028.

“MinDA foresees that we will most likely lose power by 2027 to 2028. Back to the experience we had in 2010,” Mr. Dominguez said.

According to Mr. Montenegro, the rate of the annual growth of demand for energy in Mindanao is around 5% to 7%, which is about 100 megawatts every year needed to be able to keep up with the growing demand due to the expansion of the property sector, agri-business, industries, and household expansions.

“Therefore, the reserve that we have today will start to go down unless new capacities come in to replace the ones that are being used already by the growing demand,” he said.

Joji Ilagan-Bian, chair of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Committee on the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), said the business sector in Mindanao has informed President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in a resolution that the priority of the business sector in Mindanao is to look for alternative sources of power because it was said that after two or three years, we will have shortage of power.

Ms. Bian said a stable power supply consequently improves the economy and entices more investors to come in.

“If we are not able to work at the power problems these investments would not be in proportion to the source of power. We are looking at power investors, and private partnerships with the government and we are also looking at all sources of investment including outside of the country, foreign investors to look at it also for the Philippines. Power is what makes the economy roll and without that economy would be at a standstill,” she said.

Mr. Dominguez said among the options that were discussed to address the looming power shortage is the availability of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complex, which is eyed to be rehabilitated in 2026.

“If Agus Pulangi is rehabilitated, we will most likely have an additional 300 to 350 megawatts,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mark Christian P. Marollano, supervising science research specialist at the Department of Energy, said that the department is continuously monitoring power projects to help meet the future power demand in the country particularly in Mindanao.

“Due to economic developments, demand will also continue to increase, that is why we have put up power plants in Mindanao,” he said in mixed English and Filipino. — Maya M. Padillo