The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday lauded Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo’s move declaring every March 5, starting this year, as Renewable Energy Day.

Edward Du, Dumaguete-based PCCI regional governor for Central Visayas, described the Executive Order as “consistent with the business community’s advocacy on making Negros Island the renewable energy capital of the country”.

"More than ever, the EO is consistent with the business community’s advocacy on mitigating the impact of climate change and global warming on Negros Oriental’s agri-based economy,” said Du, a former NOCCI president.

Meanwhile, the Energy Development Corp. also promised to continue its support in promoting renewable energy.

“We will continue to partner with him (Degamo) in promoting his advocacy, which is in line with ours,” Norreen Bautista, head of the EDC Community Partnerships, External Relations and Watershed Management Division, said.

Bautista said the EDC, a leader in geothermal energy, operates the Palinpinon I and II geothermal power plants in Valencia, Negros Oriental, producing more than 220MW of clean, renewable energy.

Degamo recently formalized the declaration of March 5 as RE Day through Executive Order No. 22-18, saying that this will “seal the provincial government’s efforts to protect the environment”.

In March last year, Degamo signed EO No. 9 banning the entry of coal-fired power plants in the province and declaring Negros Oriental as an environment-friendly and clean energy province.

“I think what’s even more important is that this new EO now puts Negros Oriental on the map as among the first areas to declare itself 100 percent RE and will, hopefully, be a model to other local government units as our way of supporting green energy and avert the effects of climate change,” Bautista said.

The first Renewable Energy Day on March 5 will be a culmination of a week-long celebration on spreading awareness of renewable energy and engaging the youth in pro-environment initiatives.*PNA

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