The Department of Energy (DOE) is setting into motion a public consultation process whose goal is the creation of an intergovernmental energy board overseeing petroleum and coal operating contracts within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The DOE has tasked undersecretary Alessandro Sales to meet with stakeholders on July 27.
Under the law, the BARMM, the national government and the Bangsamoro government jointly exercise the power to grant rights, privileges and concessions on the exploration, development and utilization of fossil fuels in the region.
The IEB is meant to resolve matters regarding energy and power generation and other energy issues in the region. It is also tasked to adopt a “competitive and transparent process” for the grant of rights, privileges and concessions in the exploration, development and utilization of uranium and fossil fuels in BARMM.
There currently are 18 active petroleum service contracts and 21 active coal operating contracts either in development or production stage and six more under exploration, the DOE said.
