DOE Consults Public on Power Policies

Wazzup Pilipinas!

POLICY DISCUSSIONS: In photo are the stakeholders participating in the discussions during the DOE’s public consultation on proposed power industry-focused policies on Monday (June 11) at the Legend Villas in Mandaluyong City.

The Department of Energy-Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (DOE-EPIMB) conducted on Monday (June 11), a public consultation on three proposed policies at the Legend Villas.

The public consultation solicited comments and suggestions from power industry stakeholders to further improve existing policies of the DOE.

Under the watch of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, the DOE-EPIMB intends to issue three new policies concerning the power sector.

First is a policy prescribing a uniform monthly electricity bill format for the captive market of distribution utilities (DUs) to ensure greater transparency and public awareness.

The proposed policy calls for further transparency in the electricity bills of DUs by providing a breakdown of the transmission charge to include delivery and ancillary service charges, and itemized systems loss to identify technical and non-technical losses.

It also entails the adoption by all DUs of a uniform bill format, which can be easily understood by electricity end-users. The new bill format will reflect the status of bill deposits being charged by the DUs to the consumers, giving them updates on the principal and the interest earned.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), as prescribed in the draft Circular, will also provide the necessary regulatory issuances for the implementation of the policy within 60 days.

The second policy proposal prescribes the rules governing the review and evaluation of direct connection applications by industrial, commercial and other qualified electricity end-users, as well as ecozone enterprises.

This provides a transparent procedure on how the DOE will exercise its function to review and evaluate applications for direct connection of end-users and economic zone enterprises to the grid.

Applications for direct connections were previously being filed with the ERC until the Supreme Court declared that the direct supply of electricity is not within the ERC's jurisdiction to resolve, but falls within the purview of the DOE.

Currently, the ERC endorses to the DOE all previously filed applications for direct connections.

The third policy is for the efficient transition of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) to the Independent Market Operator (IMO) regime.

The draft Department Circular on IMO Governance Arrangements primarily stipulates additional guidance and operational safeguards for the WESM under the IMO to ensure transparency, competitiveness, the protection of public interest, as well as the integrity of the WESM.

More than 150 participants attended the event, including representatives from the House Committee on Energy, National Electrification Administration, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, Philippine Electricity Market Corp., Philippine Competition Commission, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., generation companies, distribution utilities, electric cooperatives, retail electricity suppliers, direct customers, local government units of Bulacan and Ilocos Sur, the academe, and consumer group Citizen Watch.

For wider stakeholder involvement, the DOE will accept the public’s comments and suggestions on these proposed policies: (1) until 15 June 2018 for the Independent IMO Governance Arrangements; and (2) 30 June 2018 for both the Uniform Electricity Bill Format and the Direct Connection Guidelines.


Comments may be submitted via email through pmdd.wesm@gmail.com and epira.epimb@gmail.comor fax them to (02) 840 -1773.

Discovering Wild Plants To Forage In The Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Foraging, the natural art of scavenging for local ingredients, is thriving in the culinary world. The cost of food in the Philippines increased by 5.7% in May of 2018, causing families to look for more options in fresh produce and dairy products. As “food inflation” continues, despite the economic improvement, finding natural means of produce provides more than what the local groceries, sari-sari stores, and carinderia have to offer. In fact, our native country has so much to offer other than what is grown in the regions of Benguet or Mindanao.

Foraging: Stepping up to organic farms

This may be an unpopular concept for Manileans. However, you might be surprised to see the availability of natural food that grows along the less populated places in the country. Due to rapid industrialization and crop cultivation, our lands are quickly being eaten away upon acres of quality soil.  As a result, we turn to cultivated and processed food items. But, that does not mean we cannot find edible plants to forage with little to no cost at all.

Wild raspberry, Rubus rosifolius Linn

Locally known as “Tungaw-tungaw,” the native fruit is hollow with a tangy, strawberry taste. You can find this abundant plant in shrubs that grow up to six feet with whitish flowers and red fruits that resemble raspberries. They can be eaten raw or processed into juice, wine, or ripe jam. What’s more, these fruits are a rich source of phytochemicals that help fight Alzheimer’s and cancer cells.

Ti, Cordyline terminalis or Cordyline fruticosa

The Ti plant is an ornamental shrub with smooth, elliptic leaves up to 2 feet long. It comes in a variety of colors, such as red, green, yellow, pink, purple, and brown. Ti is a native plant in the Far East and works wonders as an edible source of survival, containing starch. The roots are used to make Okolehao, an alcoholic beverage. You can eat them baked or boiled, never raw.

Screw pine, Pandanus

Commonly seen in rainforests and mangroves, the screw pine can grow up to nine meters long, with stiff and saw-like edged leaves. The fruits are rough, similar to pineapples, yet the taste may be astringent and bitter. It can be eaten raw or cooked.

Are you planning to do some foraging in your local area or backyard? Isn’t it exciting to know that the palms and plants we often ignore are actually rich sources of food for survival and health? This time, you'll know which wild plants to look for during your next trip outdoors.

Your Fridge Might Be Making Your Child Prone to Sickness!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Many of us have the impression that storing our foods in the refrigerator will keep them fresh and safe. But, not having your appliance set at the right temperature can create a breeding ground for harmful bacteria to grow and flourish, which can result in an unsafe environment for food storage for you and your kids.

Improper food storage and sanitation can lead to a high risk of foodborne illnesses, especially this rainy season. Among these diseases is listeriosis, a serious infection caused by eating food with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeriosis can be dangerous to pregnant women, newborns, children, and elderly, and can result to   fever, muscle aches, or even gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea.  

As such, refrigerating a food contaminatedwith Listeria can cause it to spread to other food products inside the refrigerator that may be making your child prone to sickness.

The good news, however, is that there are various ways we can do to reduce the risk of listeriosis at home by raising anawareness on proper refrigerator care to help improve the quality of food that you and your kids eat.

Consume Use-By Date food products immediately

Use-by date refers to the final day by which perishable goods should be consumed.  After the recommended date, food quality is likely to go down and the food safety is lessened.

Therefore, it is important to make sure that food products are eaten before their use by date and not after.

You may realize that use-by date products spoil easily. Thus, it is crucial for you to follow storage instructions. However, take note that you should follow the use by dates on unopened ready-to-eat food products and not storing food packages after they have been opened. Storing opened food products in the refrigerator can increase the risk of Listeria to grow. 

Clean your refrigerator regularly

It is important to wipe food spills immediately to keep Listeria from growing and spreading to other foods. You can clean the inside walls and shelves with hot water and a mild liquid dishwashing detergent then rinse it thoroughly.

Likewise, make sure to throw old and spoiled foods that may cause growth and spread of bacteria. Try moving older foods in the front part of your fridge to make it more visible so that it can be consumed before it gets spoiled.

Keep raw meat, poultry, or fish, which may contains several bacteria, from cooked meals. Also, make sure that raw meats are at the bottom part of the shelf to avoid it from dripping. However, it is still better to have them sealed in a tight container.

Properly sanitizing your refrigerator can avoid different types of bacteria like Coliforms, Vibrio, salmonella, e-coli, Botulinum, and Pseudomonas—all of which harmful to the human health—from growing on foods such as raw meat, milk, fish, and more.

Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature

Having your refrigerator at the proper temperature can avoid or slow the growth of Listeria. To check if your refrigerator is at the right temperature, put an appliance thermometer inside and make the necessary adjustment in the temperature control. Makes sure that your refrigerator register at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C).

Refrigerating below the recommended 4℃  will significantly slow the growth of bacteria. But as the temperature rises, the bacteria can grow at a faster rate, which can result to spoilage, wastage, and food poisoning.

Your refrigerator plays an important role in keeping your food safe and free from any bacteria that can result to foodborne illnesses. In fact, operating at the wrong temperature can leave room for the bacteria to get the nutrients and temperature it need to grow inside your refrigerator.

While refrigerators can be a breeding ground for foodborne illnesses, Beko Refrigerator’s Active Ioniser neutralises the bacteria that cause effluvia to create an antibacterial effect to keep the refrigerator from harmful pathogens such as Listeria. Also, Its Blue Light Technology allows for a continued process of photosynthesis, allowing fresh produce to maintain their natural flavors and nutritional value for up to 30 days.

On top of that, the Beko Refrigerator’s new age of NeoFrost Technology keeps the humidity of their refrigerator at an optimum level of up to 90 percent in the cooler for longer freshness. It also makes for a more stable and faster cooling for both the cooler and the freezer compartments at A+ energy efficiency level. Moreover, itsindependent cooling systems also helps in preventing odor transfer in between the compartments to keep the quality of the air inside at maximum levels.

To know more about Beko and Beko Philippines, like the Beko Philippines fan page (@BekoPH) or visit the website at www.beko.ph.

Written By Dyeun Zapanta, Assistant General Manager for Beko