THE Department of Energy (DoE), along with the US Agency for International Development (USAid), launched two programs on Monday that aim to respond to future disasters and cyberattacks.

These are the Energy Sector Emergency Operations Center (ESEOC) and the Mobile Energy System (MES), funded by the USAid through its $34 million Energy Secure Philippines program in cooperation with the Philippine government.

The ESEOC is a centralized command hub that monitors, assesses, and coordinates responses to various energy-related emergencies, including natural disasters, grid failures, and cybersecurity threats.

The DoE also said that ESEOC uses real-time data analytics and predictive modeling, which will help it make proactive decision-making and rapidly deploy resources to mitigate disruptions and safeguard critical infrastructures.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said they also plan to expand this initiative to include more data from other energy-related stakeholders in the future.

"We plan to include information on gasoline stations and fuel prices and include data from other related stakeholders such as the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, the Manila Electric Co., the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, and the like," said Fuentebella.

Meanwhile, the MES consists of eight solar-powered units that will be distributed across the various government agencies and local government units, which can be rapidly deployed in emergencies.

Each unit has a 50-kiloWatt hour battery storage and can provide reliable power generation and distribution in remote or disaster-stricken areas for almost 12 hours while having minimal operation and maintenance costs.

"As climate change escalates, extreme events will continue to come more often, even in greater intensity. Investing in proactive measures that enhance resilience and ensure the continuity of essential services is crucial," said Energy Secretary Rafael Lotilla.

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