Multi-sectoral organizations said on Wednesday, February 7, that the recently launched campaign of the Negros Occidental provincial government on power security through renewable energy is a “step in the right direction”.
The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) said that the SecuRE Negros campaign is an important step in the right direction that will help address the energy and climate crises as renewable energy (RE) presents a proven capacity of ensuring power security, lowering energy costs, and environmental sustainability.
“For years, advocates have always called for the development of an energy roadmap that maximizes the solar, biomass, and geothermal sources in the province since it has always been economically and environmentally more competitive than fossil fuel sources,” Joshua Villalobos of NICE said.
They also emphasized the importance of a multistakeholder approach of the SecuRE Negros campaign noting that it is important in ensuring that all sectors of the society are consulted and included in developing the energy roadmap of the province.
“Electricity is everyone’s business. It is definitely a public interest, and it is just appropriate that all sectors of society, especially those that have been historically disregarded, are listened to and the people get the chance to have a say,” Villalobos added.
Consumer group Freedom from Debt Coalition-Negros, led by Priscilla Goco, hopes that the energy roadmap will result to a more affordable and accessible energy for every Negrosanons.
“This is a good initiative, and I hope through this, Negrosanons will now be able to reap the benefit of having installed renewable energy by having more affordable and cleaner energy,” Goco said.
Noting the contribution of advocates in the push for renewable energy, REpower Negros Coordinator Junjun Mojica said that “the launch of the provincial government’s campaign is also a result of sustained climate and energy activism of many advocates and groups for decades.”
NICE, FDC, and REpower Negros, along with other non-government organizations such as the NYLI Climate Solutions Center, Kaisahan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan, USLS Balayan Social Development Center, KAISAHAN, PYNIFD, SEARICE, Sipaway Seagrass Guardians, Negros Workers Development Center attended the launch of the SecuRE Negros campaign at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall on Monday.*