EDC corporate relations and communications head Atty. Allan Barcena (7th from left), with Leyte corporate relations department head Erwin Magallanes and corporate relations partner Maria Sybil Villegas, turns over a check amounting to P5.09 million to Ormoc City officials as part of the city’s ER 1-94 benefitsOrmoc City and the municipality of Kananga in Leyte continue to reap the benefits of hosting Energy Development Corporation’s (EDC) geothermal plants directly from the company amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This benefit is in compliance with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Circular No. DC2018-08-0021 that requires energy generation companies and/or energy resource developers to directly provide their Energy Regulations (ER) No. 1-94 benefits equivalent to P0.01 per kilowatt-hour of the total electricity sales to their host communities. The amendment intends to accelerate their socioeconomic development and have more efficient utilization of funds, which used to be released by the DOE.

EDC held a ceremonial turnover of checks amounting to P12.4 million with its host local government units (LGUs), home to the 726.7- megawatt Leyte Geothermal Project, EDC’s biggest geothermal facility that also has the world’s largest geothermal steamfield.

The facility that straddles Ormoc City and Kananga currently supplies more than 30% of the country’s installed geothermal capacity.

For the past two years, both LGUs used the ER 1-94 funds that they received every quarter for the construction of quarantine/isolation facilities and other initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the procurement of testing kits, PPEs, ambulances, stretchers and other supplies.

This year, they will continue to allocate a portion of the ER 1-94 funds for their COVID-19 response and for infrastructure projects in their respective areas.

“We are thankful that our bond with our partners in progress from both the municipality of Kananga and Ormoc City became even stronger as we all worked together to triumph over this COVID-19 pandemic these past two years,” said Atty. Allan Barcena, head of EDC’s corporate relations and communications division. “This strong partnership enables EDC to continue its mission of generating 100% renewable energy to decarbonize our country for its regenerative future.” (Story/Photos by: Frances Ariola)