DBM allots P2.2 billion for DOE’s programs in 2023

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Tuesday said it has set aside a total of P2.2 billion to bankroll various programs of the Department of Energy (DOE) in 2023.

The DBM said that the earmarking of the said amount is “in line with the government’s bid to ensure affordable and clean energy supply in the country.”

The Energy Department’s programs include Total Electrification Project, Renewable Energy Development Program, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program, and Alternative Fuels and Technologies Program.

Under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP), the DBM said P500 million was allocated to “help the DOE fulfill its mandate of energizing around 10,000 households nationwide through the Total Electrification Project (TEP).”

The project aims to address the need for reliable power supply of remaining underserved and unserved Filipino households with no access to electricity, it said.

“This is good news, especially for far-flung areas where electricity is scarce. The Total Electrification Project of the DOE shall help improve and modernize industries in different provinces across the country, which will lead to the expansion of our economy,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

The Budget Department added that P476 million shall be earmarked to fund DOE’s Renewable Energy Development Program, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program, and Alternative Fuels and Technologies Program.

“These initiatives are part of the administration’s commitment to provide reasonably priced, sustainable, and sufficient electricity,” said Pangandaman,

Consistent with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure the availability of reliable energy in various regions of the country, the DOE has been preparing for the implementation of viable electrification programs that will address the pressing issues faced by the energy sector, according to the DBM. —Ted Cordero/KG, GMA News