Senator Raffy Tulfo Commits to Backing Foreign Energy Investment in the Philippines

Manila, Philippines – Senator Raffy Tulfo has pledged his support to foreign investors interested in the Philippine energy sector. This commitment was made during a dinner meeting with Singaporean business executives on Sunday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Tulfo, who is the chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, met with several prominent Singaporean business figures, including Lavan Thiru, Executive Director of Infrastructure Asia; Farchad Kaviani, Managing Director for Southeast Asia of SUEZ; Renee Mison, Executive Director of Go Circular; Kunal Shah, Chief Growth Officer and Managing Director of Anaergia; and Jens Moller, Engineering Manager of Ramboll. “Some of them are currently investing in the Philippines while others are just planning to invest,” Tulfo stated.

The executives discussed the potential of waste-to-energy (WTE) projects and the challenges they face in implementing such initiatives in the Philippines. They proposed policies and solutions for a successful WTE system. Furthermore, the business leaders expressed concerns regarding the difficulties they encounter in establishing operations in the country.

Senator Tulfo mentioned that the insights gained from the meeting would assist him and his legislative team in advocating for the quick passage of his WTE Bill, which is currently undergoing its second reading.

Senate Bill 2267, which Tulfo is championing, seeks to include WTE in the Philippine Energy Plan. It would allow local government units to engage in clustering arrangements and public-private partnerships for the development of WTE facilities. The bill also includes a provision explicitly banning the use of imported waste as feedstock in these facilities, to prevent the Philippines from becoming a dumping ground for foreign waste.

The WTE Bill is among the legislative priorities highlighted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his first State of the Nation Address in 2022.