The Department of Energy (DoE) has so far remitted P4.15 billion to local government units (LGUs) to support their response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a statement on Friday, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the amount was taken from the Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) funds and utilized for feeding programs; the acquisition of personal protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline medical workers; and medical and other disinfecting supplies and equipment, including alcohol disinfectants and sanitizers.
The money was also used to buy common medicines, thermoscanners and contactless thermometers, respirators and ventilators, and ultraviolent lights; and for constructing or leasing medical facilities, tents, and safe holding areas, including quarantine centers.
“At the onset of the Covid-19 crisis in the country, we issued Department Circular (DC) DC2020-04-0008 to help host LGUs by making available ER 1-94 funds to be used in their fight against the pandemic, in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” (Bayanihan 2), Cusi said.
He also said his department had implemented and monitored the direct remittance of the funds to ensure that these were used for “their development needs and for the delivery of essential health services to mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the crisis.”
The ER 1-94 program is a policy under RA 9136, or the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001” (Epira). It stipulates that host communities will get a share of 1 centavo for every kilowatt-hour of the total electricity sales of power generation companies operating in its area.
Through Department Circular DC2018-08-0021, these companies have been allowed to directly download the ER 1-94 funds to their host communities.
As of end-September, the firms remitted at least P462 million to their host LGUs for use in their coronavirus-related responses.
Before yearend, the DoE would process the transfer of an estimated P278 million in additional funds to the communities.