DOE and EU Join Hands to Elevate Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Product Standards in PH

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As part of the Philippine-EU Access to the Sustainable Energy Program (ASEP), the Department of Energy (DOE) held on Wednesday at the F1 Hotel in Bonifacio Global City the first of a series of several public consultations on the development of energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) policies of the Philippine government.

The forum assembled experts and stakeholders in the field of EE&C to tackle and share technical know-how on the Particular Product Requirements (PPR) under the DOE's expanded Philippine Energy Standard and Labeling Program (PESLP).

The DOE formulated the PPRs to guide manufacturers, importers, distributors and dealers as to the required energy efficiency standards for the following products: room air-conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, lighting products (e.g., CFL, linear and circular fluorescent lamps), washing machines, televisions, light-duty motor vehicles and other energy-consuming devices.

According to DOE-Energy Research Testing and Laboratory Services (ERTLS) Division Chief Engr. Isagani Soriano, the purpose of the PPRs is to “provide the detailed technical requirements for both refrigerating appliances and air-conditioners covered by the PESLP; particularly requiring the attachment of an energy label or the so-called 'Yellow Label'.”

"Meeting the PPR also "indicates compliance with the Minimum Energy Performance (MEP) for the specific appliance. MEPS is the government’s policy that is guiding the business sector that appliances covered under the program are meeting the established energy efficiency criteria for a particular technology,” Engr. Soriano added.

DOE-ERTLS Senior Science Research Specialists Engr. Jomar S. Landicho and Engr. Herbert S. Orencia presented the draft PPRs for air-conditioners and refrigerating appliances, respectively.

Representatives from the government and the private sector were on hand to provide comments and recommendations to improve the Philippine PPRs.

Guests included representatives fron the Department of Trade Industry-Bureau of Product Standards (DTI-PBS), GIZ, Hanabishi, Omni Solid Services Inc., Panasonic, LG, Haier, PAIA, Hitachi, Concepcion Midea, TUV Rheinland Phil. Inc., ICASEA, IIEE Foundation Inc., Daikin Airconditioning, Fortune Gen. Mdse., CYA Industries, TCL, Sharp Philippines Inc., Trademaster, Camel, Electrolux, Kolin, Koppel, Stellar, Samsung, Tosot Philippines and Whirlpool/Fujidenzo.

Also present in the event were ASEP experts led by Team Leader Mads Christensen, and EE&C experts Detlef Loy, Lori Navarro and former ERTLS Director Raquel Huliganga.

EEC plays an essential role in the country's overall energy policy in view of social and binding international obligations to take an active part in the global campaign on environment protection and climate change mitigation.

DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has previously emphasized that “energy efficiency and conservation policies are vital to the country’s contribution to the global movement of cutting down carbon emissions, the attainment of sustainable development and the improvement of quality of life of the Filipino consuming public. Ultimately, our goal is to enhance the consumer's power of choice."

The ASEP is a joint undertaking of the DOE and the EU that is committed to the goals of total electrification, energy security, energy efficiency and sustainability in the Philippines.

Summer ASAP Soul Sessions Live in BGC

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

Many capped off their epic summer by jamming with some of their favorite ASAP artists live in concert in Bonifacio High Street last weekend. Summer ASAP Soul Sessions featuring RNB artists Jay-R, Kyla, Jason Dy, and Daryl Ong performed on May 27, 2017, 7PM at the Globe Live Iconic Store, Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater.

For tickets, people simply shopped or dined at any Bonifacio High Street establishment, including BHS Cinemas, One Parkade, and Two Parkade. Single or accumulated receipts dated May 21-27, 2017 with a minimum amount of PHP 2,000 entitled customers to two (2) VIP tickets to the summer-ender revelry. They were exchanged at any of the following booths from 12PM onwards:

·         C1 Concierge, G/F C1, Bonifacio High Street Central (near Banana Republic)

·         C3 Concierge, G/F C3, Bonifacio High Street Central (near Promod)

·         B1 Concierge, G/F B1, Bonifacio High Street (near Timezone)

“Music has always been one of BGC’s many passions and we’d like to share it with everyone. We can’t think of a better way of closing the summer season but with good music, the outdoors, and our very own BGCitizens just having an awesome time with some of the country’s best talents,” said Sean Luarca, Marketing & Community Relations Manager of BGC.

NPC Pushes Data Privacy Compliance in Banking Sector in Upcoming DPO2

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) is set to convene the Data Protection Officers (DPOs) of the financial services sector on 31 May 2017. Dubbed as “DPO2: The 2nd Data Protection Officers’ Assembly,” the event will be held in cooperation with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP). It aims to gather data protection officers of different banks who will perform vital duties to ensure their organization’s compliance with the provisions of the Data Privacy Act (DPA) of 2012.

The event is expected to draw more than a hundred DPO delegates from BSP-Supervised Financial Institutions (BSFIs) at the BSP Assembly Hall A, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Mabini Street, Manila.

The BSP and the BAP have earlier agreed to team up with the NPC for organizing the DPO2 in order to help facilitate prompt and efficient compliance by BSFIs with the privacy law. Thus, aside from being a venue for compliance assistance, the DPO2 shall function as the first step in developing a roadmap for addressing the distinct concerns of the financial sector with the DPA.

The BSP, BAP and the NPC shall also explore ways of harmonizing data privacy compliance obligations under the law with existing BSP regulations already being observed by banks.

“The NPC consider banks a critical sector when it comes to protecting personal data and so far, the level of cooperation we are getting from the sector has been encouraging”, said Privacy Commissioner and Chairman Raymund E. Liboro.

“Customers trust banks not just with their hard-earned money, but also with their personal information. Trust comes with high expectations, and data protection officers within banks play an important role in maintaining this trust, and meeting customers’ expectations,” Commissioner Liboro added. He further explains, “they expect you to work hard at protecting their money and also their privacy. Violating this trust can lead to brand depreciation, revenue loss, or worse — customer exit. DPO2 is an investment in data privacy protection, and it shall go a long way not just in preserving our people’s trust in the financial system, but also in building a strong foundation for data privacy compliance in the private sector.”

DPO2 shall be the first DPO assembly to be conducted by the NPC for the private sector. Commissioner Liboro said plans are also underway to conduct similar events for the health services sector, the academe, and the business process outsourcing industry, among others.

Last April 5, the NPC conducted DPO1 for government data protection officers at the Landbank Plaza in Malate, Manila.

The NPC is a regulatory body created by virtue of RA 10173, otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012. It is an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communication Technology.