The city government takes a significant step towards sustainable energy development, as it recently enacted Ordinance 683 otherwise known as the “Local Power and Energy Code of the City of Zamboanga.”
The ordinance, approved by Mayor John Dalipe on August 28, 2024, aims to institutionalize energy efficiency and conservation throughout the city, promoting the stability and resilience of the local energy system. The City Council enacted the ordinance and signed by Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja on August 19, 2024.
The ordinance, enacted by the City Council and signed by Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja on August 19, 2024, aims to align Zamboanga City’s energy policies with
national initiatives, specifically National Economic Development Authority’s
(NEDA’s) “AmBisyon Natin 2040”, which envisions a future where Filipinos enjoy a
strongly rooted comfortable, and secure life by the year 2040.
By adopting this local energy code, the city seeks to promote energy efficiency
and conservation, facilitate the implementation of energy projects, harmonize
local and national policies on energy utilization, efficiency, safety, resilience, and development, and for such other related purposes, and provide funds therefor.
This initiative is also in line with the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2018-2040,
which emphasizes the need to meet the country’s growing electricity and fuel
demands through market improvements, simplified government procedures, enhanced consumer choice, and a more resilient energy system.
In addition, the Philippine Power Development Plan (PPDP) 2017-2040 projects that the Philippines will need an additional 49,287 megawatts (MW) of energy capacity by 2040 to accommodate an annual growth rate of 5% in power demand.
The ordinance likewise creates the Energy Sector Committee chaired by the city
mayor, to facilitate the implementation of energy projects, in accordance with the
existing pertinent energy and other regulatory laws, and issuances.
To ensure its effective implementation, the city government has pledged to
allocate appropriate funds through future appropriation ordinances. (Bernadeth
Lazaro)