Cusi directs utilization of ‘energy fund’ for COVID-19 efforts

By Myrna M. Velasco – April 7, 2020, 10:00 PM
from Manila Bulletin

As cash shortfall emerges as escalating dilemma due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis, Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has issued an order allowing the utilization of the Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) fund as ‘cost mitigation resource’ primarily for the local government units (LGUs) that have been directly looking after the welfare of their constituents.

The energy chief inked on Monday (April 6) a new Circular setting forth the rules and guidelines on the use of the energy fund “to help communities hosting energy generating facilities and/or energy resource developers in the fight against COVID-19.”

The Department of Energy (DOE) currently accounts P6.4 billion under the ER 1-94 fund, and ₱5.2 billion has already been earmarked for disbursements. Prior to the enforcement of the 30-day lockdown in Luzon – which is now set for 15-day extension until April 30, the energy department announced that ₱432 million had already been processed for immediate release to recipient-host communities of energy projects.

One of the major prescriptions on the fund use shall be for “the facilitation of mass testing by pro-viding and constructing facilities and/or acquiring proper medical testing kits to detect COVID-19,” and such must be spent for the payment of medical testing and analysis fees.

The fund must likewise cover “emergency subsidy in the form of non-food items when there are delays or insufficiencies, and to augment existing subsidy programs of the national government to low-income households.” And that shall be within the timeframe when the state of public health emergency is still in effect.

The ER 1-94 fund may also be expended for the acquisition of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for frontline medical workers; as well as medical and other decontaminating/disinfecting supplies and equipment such as alcohol disinfectants, sanitizers, common medicines, thermo-scanners and contactless thermometers, respirators and/or ventilators.

Relative to the modified fund utilization issued by the energy department, Cusi noted that such will be an assurance that “all our local government units have the resources that would aid in containing, mitigating, and eventually eliminating the spread of COVID-19 in their respective jurisdictions.”