In a landmark collaboration that bodes well for the Philippine electric power industry, the European Chamber of Commerce (ECCP) and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) recently signed a Cooperation Agreement that will foster the sharing of knowledge and expertise in transmission and distribution operations to further enhance the development of renewable energy in the country.
The Cooperation Agreement was spearheaded by the ECCP Committee on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency co-chaired by Ms. Ruth Yu-Owen, president of Upgrade Energy Philippines, and Atty. Jay Layug, DivinaLaw senior partner and president of Developers of Renewable Energy for AdvanceMent, Inc. (DREAM).
Following the issuance of the 2022 Department of Justice opinion and the Department of Energy amended rules, foreign investors are now allowed to wholly engage in the exploration of renewable energy resources in the Philippines without any restriction. This policy confirmation has resulted in massive interest from foreigners, particularly European investors, in building solar and wind farms in the Philippines.
ECCP is a bilateral foreign chamber that promotes European interests in the Philippines and vice versa.
NGCP is the system operator running the main grid in the Philippines.
Atty. Layug is the co-head of DivinaLaw’s energy practice and also serves as director of the Philippine Energy Research & Policy Institute (PERPI) along with Senior Partner Atty. Richie Avigale Ramos-Pilares.
Photo shows (from left): Ms. Ruth Yu Owen (president, Upgrade Energy Philippines), Atty. Cynthia Alabanza (assistant vice president, NGCP), Mr. Paulo Duarte (president, ECCP), Mr. Anthony Almeda (president and CEO, NGCP), Mr. Florian Gotten (executive director, ECCP), Pampanga 4th District Rep. Anna York Bondoc, and DivinaLaw Senior Partner Atty. Jay Layug.
