BATANGAS CITY / GENERAL SANTOS CITY — In its continued drive toward a sustainable and energy-secure Bangsamoro region, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE-BARMM) undertook a series of high-level engagements from July 7 to 10, 2025, exploring cleaner energy pathways through visits to major liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Batangas and participation in a biofuels capacity-building workshop in General Santos City.
On July 8 and 9, MENRE joined the Department of Energy (DOE) in a strategic visit to two key LNG hubs in Batangas City—the First Gen Liquefied Natural Gas (FGEN LNG) Energy Complex and the LNGPH Batangas Complex. These visits aimed to bolster BARMM’s technical understanding of LNG technologies and assess the potential for replicating such models within the region, particularly in its island provinces.
The FGEN LNG Energy Complex, part of the broader Batangas Clean Energy Complex, is a critical infrastructure supporting the Philippines’ shift away from coal. It features a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) with a capacity of 162,000 m³, a multipurpose jetty, and four power plants—Santa Rita, San Lorenzo, San Gabriel, and Avion—that collectively supply over 2,000 MW or 20% of Luzon’s power demand.
Meanwhile, the LNGPH Batangas Complex comprises South Premier Power Corporation (SPPC), Excellent Energy Resources, Inc. (EERI), Linseed Field Corporation (LFC)—owner of the LNG terminal—and Ilijan Primeline Industrial Estate Corp. (IPIEC), the landowner of the terminal site. This facility further underscores the country’s growing LNG capacity and its role in energy diversification.
DOE officials emphasized that the activity is part of a broader capacity-building initiative to empower MENRE in advancing sustainable and inclusive energy development across BARMM.
Complementing the LNG visits, MENRE also took part in the Capacity Building Workshop on the Implementation of the Biofuels Act of 2006 from July 7 to 10 in General Santos City. Organized by DOE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB), the workshop enhanced the technical and policy competence of BARMM institutions on biofuels, particularly in the context of the Biofuels Act and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
Experts covered key topics such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), biofuel worker welfare programs, B3 and voluntary E20 blending, and biofuel monitoring protocols. The training included a field visit to Econergy Corporation’s biodiesel production facility in Polomolok, South Cotabato, offering participants valuable insights into the operations and potential of biofuels in reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
MENRE was joined by various BARMM ministries and agencies, including the Bangsamoro Board of Investments (BBOI), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT), and the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE)—demonstrating a united front in the region’s transition to cleaner energy.
Through strategic partnerships, facility visits, and multi-sectoral capacity-building, MENRE reaffirmed its commitment to building a resilient, climate-responsive, and energy-secure future for the Bangsamoro.