DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, July 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) has conferred the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) with the Gawad Tugas Award under the clean air and water-power plant category in Cebu City.
EDC’s Southern Negros Geothermal Project is recognized for going beyond compliance through its exemplary performance in environmental protection, conservation, and management.
Now on its 6th year, the Gawad Tugas award is conferred to local government units and public and private organizations that have innovated and demonstrated ingenuity and significant milestones in protecting the environment.
DENR-7's Gawad Tugas award aims to recognize its partners for their contribution towards effective environmental management and development.
“We have to harness the so-called collaboration of one another for a better tomorrow. I would like to request our dear friends from the LGUs and various companies to be a positive influence for the environment in your areas of responsibility," said DENR ASec. Renato Rueda.
Rueda also urged the participant-contenders to serve not for profit but for people and the environment.
EDC’s Southern Negros Geothermal Facility Head Engr. Debonaire Mamhot said EDC was able to share with the screening committee how it strives to elevate not only the environment but even its stakeholders.
“We thank the DENR Region 7 for recognizing our efforts to not just go beyond compliance but to even go beyond sustainability by being regenerative as we strive to provide Negros Oriental and the rest of the region with a stable source of clean, renewable power through Geo 24/7,” said Mamhot.
Geo 24/7 is the company’s brand of geothermal energy that provides reliable baseload power day or night, rain or shine as it maintains lush forests with the help of its partner communities, Mamhot said.
To date, EDC has already planted over 6.5 million native tree seedlings with the help of its 192 partners from 16 regions all over the country under its BINHI Greening Legacy program.
More than 2.5 million of these were planted on over 3,000 hectares in Negros Island with the help of EDC's over 30 local partners.
EDC also elevates its customers in Negros Island and all over the country by helping them lower their carbon footprint and even become carbon neutral not only through the clean, reliable, geothermal power or Geo 24/7 that it provides them but also through its BINHI partnership that enables them to also plant, grow, and nurture Philippine native trees for their own carbon offset.
Knowles Electronics Philippines Corporation, one of EDC’s Cebu-based customers, also won a Gawad Tugas award under the clean air and water-manufacturing category for its own decarbonization and sustainability programs that include getting 100% of its power from renewables.
In total, EDC generates over 40% of the Philippines’ renewable energy output and serves about 10% of the country’s overall electricity demand with its installed capacity of almost 1,500MW.
The company has been powering Negros Island for almost 40 years with geothermal energy from its 222.5MW facility in its Southern Negros. (JCT/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from France Ariola, EDC corporate communication officer)
