The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) threw its support behind the possible lifting of the moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, which it said could be an ‘essential bridge’ to keep businesses running amid the energy crisis.
‘Our economy cannot run on uncertainty,’ PCCI president Ferdinand Ferrer said in a statement on Wednesday.
‘While the transition to renewable energy remains our long-term goal, our immediate priority must be the stability and affordability of our power grid.’
This comes after Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the Department of Energy is open to revisiting the 2020 ban, particularly amid surging fuel prices amid tensions in the Middle East, which had prompted the Philippines to declare an energy emergency.
‘Pragmatic solution’
PCCI, the country’s largest business group, said the move could serve as a ‘temporary and pragmatic’ step to stabilize supply, even as the country continues to scale up renewable energy capacity.
Any policy shift, it added, should not derail long-term clean energy goals but instead act as a bridge to address immediate needs.
‘This is not about choosing between coal and renewables, it is about ensuring the lights stay on, businesses remain competitive and households are protected from rising costs,’ said David Chua, director for energy at PCCI.
Call for ‘policy flexibility’
PCCI cited three key pressures behind the need for policy flexibility: the need for steady baseload power as manufacturing expands; persistently high electricity rates that blunt competitiveness; and exposure to swings in global oil and gas prices.
As such, the group said any new coal capacity should use high-efficiency technologies and form part of a broader transition plan.
It also urged the government to expand natural gas and liquefied natural gas, while accelerating renewables, energy storage and grid modernization.
‘We must be flexible enough to adapt our policies to the realities of 2026,’ Ferrer said. ‘Lifting this moratorium provides the essential bridge we need to keep the lights on and the factories running while we continue to build our renewable capacity.’