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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched the extension site of its One Town, One Product (OTOP) hub in the Province of Guimaras on June 26, 2023.

The OTOP Hub Guimaras Extension is located at Jordan Wharf in Rizal, Jordan where the products displayed are proudly made in Guimaras.

DTI-Guimaras OIC Provincial Director Mutya Eusores graced the event with her presence.

Governor JC Rahman A. Nava, MD was represented by Mr. Lino Galea, Executive Assistant III.

The OTOP Hub Project of the Department of Trade and Industry is a one-stop retail store where market-ready products offering of a local community can be found and caters to the general mainstream market of both local buyers and tourists.

This is one of the flagship market access program of the DTI in partnership with the local government units (LGUs) that aims to help the micro, small, and medium enterprises in the country to level up their products and encourage inclusive economic growth.

Iloilo City’s sanitary landfill in Brgy. Calajunan, Mandurriao will be converted into a waste to energy project soon.

A ceremonial signing of joint certification of successful negotiation between the city government and Metro Pacific Water (MPW) for the Iloilo City Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (Waste-to-Energy) or the WtE project (ISWMF) was held on Tuesday with Mayor Jerry Treñas and MPW president and chief executive officer Rogelio Singson as signatories.

“With the Calajunan sanitary landfill nearing the end of its life span in just three short years, the urgency to find alternative waste management solutions cannot be overstated. The introduction of a WtE facility not only provides a sustainable and efficient solution for managing the city’s waste but also presents a remarkable opportunity for Iloilo City’s economic growth,” Treñas said in his message during the short ceremony.

In a follow-up interview, Treñas said the proposal of the MPW will be subjected to a competitive or Swiss challenge.

The Swiss challenge is an alternative selection process wherein third parties or challengers shall be invited to submit comparative proposals for a project as defined in the Integrated Public-Private Partnership Code of Iloilo City. The system’s objective is to discourage frivolous projects or to avoid inflated project costs.

Treñas said the project would clear the 23-hectare sanitary landfill that could be repurposed to boost the city’s economic activity.

Singson, in his message, said they would like to complete this project in Iloilo so they could have a good model to be replicated all over the country.

“It’s the same problem all over the country. This project will kickstart Iloilo City’s growth to sustainable solid waste management goals, solidifying the city as a leader and good model for sustainable waste management in the whole country,” he said.

In an interview, Singson said they chose to propose the project in the city because of its existing water project.

“This to me is an ideal model for cities where we have water, bulk distribution, and wastewater under one roof,” he said.

The proposed WtE facility can process up to 470 tons of non-recyclable wastes as potential fuel a day and produce around 2.4 megawatts of energy.

A press statement released by the MPW Tuesday evening said the ISWMF would treat, recover, and convert the city’s waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and biogas, considered renewable energy sources by the Department of Energy.

“It will significantly reduce the waste that ends up in Iloilo landfills, conserving natural resources, and minimizing environmental impact. The project is also estimated to result in a reduction of 129,000 metric tons per year of CO2 (carbon dioxide) equivalent,” it said.

Engineer Neil Ravena, head of the Iloilo City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), said the project would address all kinds of wastes as its mechanical biological treatment facility would cater to organic wastes with high-moisture content, an anaerobic treatment facility for other non-organic wastes, and RDF for plastic wastes.

“We will close Calahunan (sanitary landfill) and rehabilitate through bioremediation to bring it back to its old state where there are no more wastes, leachate, and methane gas. Calahunan is now being considered as a prime lot,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.

The city generates 370 tons of solid waste per day, he said. (PNA)

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched the extension site of its One Town, One Product (OTOP) hub in the Province of Guimaras on June 26, 2023. The OTOP Hub Guimaras Extension is located at Jordan Wharf in Rizal, Jordan where the products displayed are proudly made in Guimaras. Photo shows DTI-Guimaras OIC Provincial Director Mutya Eusores, Governor JC Rahman A. Nava’s executive assistant Mr. Lino Galea and other officials during the launching ceremony. (Guimaras province)

In a positive turn of events for residential consumers in Iloilo City, electric distribution utility MORE Power announced a significant reduction in the average residential rate for the billing months of May to June 2023.

The new rate stands at P12.2990 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), reflecting a noteworthy decrease of P0.9522 per kWh from the previous month’s rate of P13.2511 per kWh. One of the primary factors contributing to this decrease is the lower generation cost.

For this month, the generation cost has decreased to P7.1182 per kWh, marking a reduction of P0.5362 per kWh. Several factors have contributed to this decline.

First and foremost, the addition of Energy Development Corp’s geothermal power in the power supply mix has had a positive impact. Geothermal power, a renewable energy source, is known for its cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits.

Moreover, the lower exposure to high spot market prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market has played a significant role in reducing generation costs.

Lastly, a decrease in coal prices has also contributed to this decline. Furthermore, the entry of a renewable energy supplier into the supply mix has yielded an additional advantage by reducing the value-added tax (VAT) on generation.

As a result, there has been a reduction of P0.1613 per kWh in VAT charges. Notably, the transmission charge has also decreased, further benefiting consumers.

The charge has dropped by P0.1831 per kWh, from P0.9057 per kWh in the previous month to P0.7226 per kWh this month.

This decrease is primarily attributed to the lower ancillary service charge and increased kWh billing determinant. The peak demand for this period has been recorded at 127.24 MW.

The positive trend of decreasing charges extends to the system loss charge as well. The system loss for the previous month was 7.00%, while the 12-month average system loss stands at 6.49%.

This reduction in system loss aligns with the decrease in generation and transmission charges, offering additional relief to consumers.

WV eyed as country’s renewable energy capital

Western Visayas is projected to be the renewable energy capital of the country, according to the Department of Energy.

Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla, who spoke during the 125th Independence Day celebration at Sta. Barbara town, emphasized the region’s capacity on renewable energy supply. 

According to him, Western Visayas has a hydropower potential of 930 MW, almost 500 MW for solar energy, and around 13,000 MW for wind energy. 

Of this 13,000 MW wind energy potential, the 10,473 MW is going to be offshore and the major part of it is under Iloilo province and neighboring islands of Negros and Guimaras. 

The biggest potential lies in a triangle between southern Mindoro, northern Antique, and northern Palawan. 

Offshore wind power or offshore wind energy refers to the generation of electricity through wind produced from bodies of water, usually at sea.

“We hoped that with the total of 14,000 MW of potential renewable energy supply, we would have sufficient power to energize our development activities,” Lotilla said. 

With this also comes the establishment of the green and transmission system that matches the capacity of renewable energy projects which will be built from 2024 to 2040.

Moreover, the utilization of ports will support the offshore wind industry in the country. 

The DOE chief further said that offshore wind will not be built immediately, however, preparations must be done such as training engineers, skilled people, and those who are going to construct the offshore wind energy.  

“By 2034, the Philippines is projected to join the ranks of $300 trillion economies in Asia, and without power, we will not be able to do that,” Lotilla shared.  

DOE also noted that energy independence is one of the current thrusts of the government, and that the country aims to achieve 100% electrification of all barangays and sitios at the end of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (PIA-Iloilo)