With the United States (US)-Israel war on Iran continuing to destabilize global markets, energy specialists warned that the energy crisis has turned Mindanao’s fragile power situation into a localized struggle.
In a high-level online briefing on Mindanao’s power security, representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) faculty and administration discussed the possibility of achieving “energy resiliency” amid current geopolitical realities.
Amid the global energy crisis that could push 3.1 million Filipinos further into poverty, President FerdinandMarcos Jr.’s administration declared a national energy emergency under Executive Order 110, aiming to stabilize the country’s economy by prioritizing cheaper indigenous resources, enforcing anti-hoarding measures, and implementing targeted tax suspensions.
AdDU Economics Professor Mildred Estanda explained how the fear of energy interruptions during the crisis alone triggers immediate price hikes in local markets, creating a “double shock” that devalues the peso as rising oil costs continue to affect every household.
“In this case, we can say that in energy markets, even fear can make prices expensive… and this is why this energy crisis also costs us a shock to the exchange rate and a shock to inflation.”
Despite Malacañang’s assurances that fuel supply will last until further shipments arrive, DOE Mindanao Field Officer-in-Charge Engr. Erick George Uy highlighted that the declaration of EO 110 remains necessary as a framework for coordinated policy interventions against emerging global challenges.
“The government has issued keep policies and directives… as well as executive order number 110, which declares a national energy emergency, and authorizes a unified government response… These actions aim to ensure supply stability, price moderation, and system reliability.”
The Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050 targets 35% renewable energy in the generation mix by 2030 to curb fossil fuels dependence, despite Mindanao lagging with the lowest total household access nationwide electrification rate of 85.11%.
In addressing the university’s internal response to these external shocks, AdDU Physical Plant Director Dr. Tender Grace Ferolin detailed how facilities management has shifted to a proactive, data-driven approach to ensure institutional continuity.
“Our response in the PPO is not reactive… we try to be proactive and, more importantly, structured. We rely on monitoring utilities through key performance indicators, tracking consumption patterns, using data to guide operational decisions, and applying scenario-based planning.”
She reiterated that the path forward requires moving from mere fuel diversity to true localized resilience.
“We are at a crossroads between dependence and resilience. The challenge now is that we are no longer just convincing people about the energy transition; we are trying to make it happen and deliver it,” she added.
The “Energy at the Crossroads: Navigating Global Tensions and Local Realities” forum, organized by the AdDU Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies – Mindanao Renewable Energy R&D Center (MREC), AdDU School of Engineering and Architecture, and Economics Department, took place on April 15, 2026, via Zoom.