PGMA Finally Signed RE Bill

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo finally signed, on December 16, 2008, the Renewable Energy Law.

Von Hernandez - Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia in a statement said:
"Greenpeace welcomes this long-awaited enactment of the Renewable Energy (RE) Law. This signals that the Philippines is on track towards achieving an ‘Energy Revolution’ which can end our dependence on fossil fuels and move the country into a low carbon emissions economy which is a key solution to the problem of dangerous climate change. Given the worsening manifestations of a changing climate, moving our country away from this deadly and destabilizing addiction to fossil fuels is an unquestionable obligation.

"The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to be drafted within a year of the law's enactment must be robust enough to successfully fulfill the intentions of the RE Law. Greenpeace will continue to monitor the development of this policy to ensure that it remains true to its foremost aim to catalyze massive investments of renewable energy technologies in the power sector. In the end, The RE Law must be the means by which the country will be weaned away from dependence on dangerous fossil fuels such as coal.

"We hope that the Philippine government will not negate and squander this historic opportunity to chart an alternative, safe and secure energy pathway for the country, by insisting on building more harmful coal-fired power plants and pursuing dangerous nuclear energy. If the latter two should come to pass, then it would truly be a disaster for this country and the government will have frittered away a golden opportunity to transition the country to a clean energy future."

Last December 4, Greenpeace supporters and allies visited the senate to deliver a symbolical solar powered lantern and to thank them in passing the bill in the senate house.