DAVAO CITY – The Interim Office on Energy of MENRE-BARMM, headed by Deputy Minister Dr. Norodin D. Salam, attended the Project Steering Committee meeting for the Renewable Energy Technology to Improve the Value-Added of Seaweeds (RETS) Project on December 05, 2019 at MinDA Conference Hall, Davao City.

The said meeting aims to provide basic social services and livelihood opportunities to communities particularly in the three targeted municipalities in Tawi-Tawi, namely Sitangkai, Panglima-Sugala, and Sibutu.

The mentioned 200 million-peso renewable project, which will start to be installed in the first quarter of 2020, will be funded by the European Union-Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (EU-ASEP), its counterpart from the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi, Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative (TAWELCO), and other stakeholders.

During the meeting, the presiding officer and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol moved a motion to include MENRE-BARMM as a member of the Project Steering Committee which was seconded and accepted by the body.

This paves way for MENRE to be involved in the above-mentioned renewable energy project in the region.

The Project Steering Committee of RETS is composed of MinDA, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Provincial Government of Tawi-Tawi, TAWELCO, Association of Isolated Electric Cooperatives (AIEC-ILAW), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR-BARMM). MENRE-BARMM assures to promote low-carbon and sustainable energy generation in the region which is stated in the Republic Act 11054 otherwise known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law.