The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) underscored the importance of market-based mechanisms and energy efficiency initiatives in helping businesses manage energy volatility and improve competitiveness amid evolving global conditions.
ERC Chairperson and CEO Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan delivered the keynote address at the Energy Efficiency Forum organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Philippines, Inc. (F in Makati City.
The forum, titled “Powering Profit in a Volatile World: Energy Strategies Amid Global Disruption,” brought together business leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to discuss strategies that enhance energy efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.
In his keynote, Juan highlighted the impact of global energy shifts on national energy security and business operations, emphasizing the need for adaptive and forward-looking approaches.
“Energy is in flux. Global commodity prices are unpredictable. Exchange rates move against us. The grid faces stress in the hours when demand is highest,” the ERC chief said.
“Market reforms provide opportunities for businesses to better manage energy costs.”
Despite these challenges, he noted that market reforms provide opportunities for businesses to better manage energy costs.
“When businesses can choose their suppliers, aggregate their loads, generate their own power, and sell surplus energy back to the grid, then the volatility of the market becomes something a well-prepared business can manage rather than simply absorb,” he said.
“The availability of mechanisms enables consumers to participate more actively in the electricity market while lowering energy costs and creating new opportunities to provide energy.”
Juan underscored the availability of mechanisms such as the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA), which now covers more businesses through the reduced eligibility threshold, Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), Net Metering, and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) enables consumers to participate more actively in the electricity market while lowering energy costs and creating new opportunities to provide energy.
He assured that the ERC will continue to support stakeholders in navigating the changing energy landscape and encouraged businesses to take advantage of the market mechanisms now available to improve their long-term energy resilience and competitiveness.
“The ERC will be there—as regulator, as enabler, and as partner—to make sure the market delivers what it promises,” Juan concluded.
