Ayala Museum Screens 4 award-winning Spanish Short Films for Free on Dec. 21

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On December 21, the winter solstice and shortest day of the year, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the cultural center of the Embassy of Spain, and Ayala Museum will offer a free screening of four multi-awarded Spanish short films namely Elena Asins-Génesis, Pulse, Luchadoras and Consulta 16 -- as part of El Día Más Corto/The Shortest Day, a short film festival celebrated simultaneously in more than 300 places worldwide.



The Shortest Day is an idea that was set in motion by the French Short Film Agency in 2011, in which more than two million people from all over the world participated. In 2012 the initiative was emulated by other countries and in 2013 it grew into a truly international event, with the affiliation of a total of 12 European countries, as well as Canada.



El Día Más Corto took place in Spain for the first time in 2013. It was organized by the Spanish Association for short films, coordinadoradelcorto.org, with 100 selected short films distributed in 20 recommended programs.

The main idea was that everyone can organize a film festival for friends and neighbors in order to celebrate short films everywhere: schools, hospitals, streets, bars every place is welcome to screen.



Several television channels (TVE and Canal+) aired special short film programs, and Instituto Cervantes created a playlist of short films for its centers worldwide. The National Film Board and all regional film boards and cinematheques also joined the event.

Instituto Cervantes joined this Festival in 2015, with the aim of showcasing the creativity of Spanish and Filipino short film productions. As an indicator of the vitality of the medium in Spain, the short film Timecode, directed by Juanjo Giménez Peña, was chosen Best European Short Film at the European Film Awards 2017, celebrated last December 8 at Dublin. It previously bagged the Palme d'Or in the short film category of the Cannes Film Festival.



By joining the worldwide screenings, Instituto Cervantes and Ayala Museum will help put the Philippines in the map of the said film festival. In 2017, the Philippines will be one of almost 50 countries worldwide that will celebrate together the love for short films.

El Día Más Corto is brought to you by Instituto Cervantes, the Embassy of Spain, Ayala Museum and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. All films will be shown in their original version with English subtitles.



The screenings will take place at Ayala Museum starting at 5 p.m. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. For those who register at http://bit.ly/AMlectureRegistration, there will be free popcorn courtesy of Instituto Cervantes.

For more information please check out their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila) or the El Día Más Corto website (http://eldiamascorto.com/internacional).

Cusi Sees More Energy Options for Consumers with Lower Tariff

Wazzup Pilipinas!

COMPETITIVE ENERGY INVESTMENTS: Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi on Thursday emphasized that the government is pursuing an innovative, competitive and sustainable energy environment by facilitating investments. Cusi announced this during his Keynote Address at the 29th Energy Investment Forum held on December 7, 2017 at the Makati Shangri-La. The investment forum is among the major programs in celebration of National Energy Consciousness Month (NECM).


Imagine more renewable energy (RE) players investing in the Philippines due to tariff as low as P3 per kilowatt hour compared to the feed-in tariff (FIT) rate of P9.680/kw first offered in 2012 to solar installation investors.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said today that Filipinos can stop imagining or dreaming about more affordable electricity costs as the Duterte administration opens up an era of competitive investments for energy.

In his keynote speech during the 29th Energy Investment Forum held at the Makati Shangri-La, Cusi said that the government is pursuing an innovative, competitive and sustainable energy environment in facilitating investments via lower tariffs.

“The P3/kw tariff is more than three times lower than the feed-in tariff rate that was considered under the past administrations. This development results to lower tariffs on energy that should translate to lower power rates for consumers,” said Cusi.

“Hence, the FIT era is over. It is now a question of how we can foster a RE industry that is competitive and affordable, as an alternative to conventional energy,” said Cusi.

The DOE chief highlighted environmental sustainability, energy security and energy equity as among the areas which regulators and investors alike should aim for in terms of energy development.

“The technology is available and the markets are awash with ‘green’ financing. Renewable energy needs to be a commercially viable option that is able to stand on its two feet without the crutches of subsidies as well as being an affordable solution for consumers. To continue the growth of the renewable energy sector, the DOE is laying down sound policies, including the implementation of Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and the Green Energy Option Program,” said Cusi.

RPS mandates energy distribution utilities to source a minimum portion of their energy from eligible renewable sources, while the green energy option provides the power of choosing its energy supplier from renewable energy sources.

In achieving energy security, the DOE leads the implementation of Executive Order No. 30 which creates an Energy Investment Coordinating Council to speed up the processing and to de-stress regulations concerning energy projects of national significance.

“No longer will it take up to 3 years for bureaucrats to respond to a proposal for a project. Instead, these agencies must act on a proposal within 30 days, failure of which, the proposal is deemed approved,” said Cusi.

Cusi stressed that entire power system, including the transmission and distribution sectors, will play a critical role. Hence the DOE developed a Smart Grid Roadmap and Vision for 2040.

“The DOE established a clear policy direction to increase reliability reserves to 25%, for us to provide reliable, secure, sustainable and affordable energy to our people,” Cusi relayed.

He also cited the move to transform the country as the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) trading and trans-shipment hub in the Asia-Pacific region following the DOE’s issuance of the Philippine Natural Gas Regulation. This policy would govern the entry and development of LNG terminals and related facilities in the country.

On energy equity, the DOE mandated the national energy policy to be technology-neutral, banking on all technologies available to deliver secure and affordable power, while also meeting emission and environmental standards.

“We want energy projects to be completed at the soonest possible time to improve access and the power systems. As the President has promised, we want to achieve total electrification by the end of his term,” Cusi concluded.

DOE Intensifies PH Nuclear Energy Policy Study

Wazzup Pilipinas!

INTENSIFIED DISCUSSION ON NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM: NEPIO Chairperson, Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos (center) led government officials during the nuclear workshop with the ROSATOM Experts. In the photo with Usec. Marcos and ROSATOM experts are DOE Dir. Angelina V. Manga, Amelia M. de Guzman, Asst. Secretary Gerardo D. Erguiza Jr., PNRI Dir. Carlo A. Arcilla and Dir. Patrick T Aquino. The nuclear workshop is an offshoot of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the ROSATOM and the DOE as the country endeavors to draft a position on a nuclear energy program.


The Department of Energy (DOE), in cooperation with the Department of Science & Technology (DOST) and with the technical assistance from the Russian Federation State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM), conducted a workshop at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on 11 December 2017 on the application and development of nuclear science and technology.

The goal is to enable the Philippines the option of adopting nuclear energy. The workshop is part of the Memorandum of Cooperation between ROSATOM and the DOE signed at the sidelines of the 12th East Asia Summit last 13 November.

The workshop focused on ROSATOM’s integrated solution covering new and emerging nuclear technologies, capacity building, and inputs in the formulation of policies addressing safety, technology development, as well as other uses of nuclear technology.

Specific topics included the knowledge sharing in building, operating and maintaining a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the significance of Centers of Nuclear Science and Technologies, the introduction of Russia’s Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and VVER-1200 (from evolution, design, safety concerns and licensing), the development of nuclear science for medicine and irradiation and the enhancement of local industry involvement.

DOE Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos emphasized in his welcome speech delivered by Director Patrick T. Aquino that “the inclusion of nuclear as a potential long-term option for power generation will further diversify the nation’s generation mix, which currently comprises of coal, natural gas, geothermal, hydropower, oil, wind, biomass and solar.”

The energy official said “this policy direction allows for the entry of alternative energy technologies, such as nuclear.”

“The nuclear workshop supports the DOE’s aim towards a low-carbon future that is anchored on a technology-neutral policy. It is in line with the DOE’s nine-point agenda espoused by DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi,” Marcos pointed out.

Meanwhile, Director of the DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Dr. Carlo A. Arcilla emphasized in his opening statement that “while nuclear energy applications have largely lifted humankind, safety concerns should not be neglected.”

According to Arcilla, “in order to promote safety, the comprehensive nuclear law, now in advanced stages in Congress, will guarantee independence of a nuclear regulatory commission separate from the promotion and research thrusts of the PNRI.”

The DOST official clarified that “while nuclear science is often equated with energy and weapon applications, the advantages of nuclear science presents a huge potential in helping the Philippines, in the fields of agriculture and medicine.”

DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi in his previous statements encouraged the public to participate in the dialogues and discussions towards decision and a national position on nuclear energy program. He consistently reminds the participants that safety is the top priority.

The seminar was attended by representatives from the DOE, National Power Corporation, DOST, PNRI, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Science and Technology Information Institute, and the technical staff of the Committee on Energy of the House of Representatives.



NUCLEAR E-DISKARTE: The nuclear energy workshop held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on 11 December was attended by the DOE, National Power Corporation, DOST, Philippine Nuclear Institute, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Science and Technology Information Institute, and the technical staff of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy.