PMCJ demands revocation of DOE’s circular on gas auction, shames PH gov’t for pushing for deadly fossil gas amidst crises

Sep 3

4 min read

Quezon City, Philippines — The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) demands the revocation of the Department of Energy (DOE) Department Circular No. DC2026-06-0013, which established the government’s new guidelines for building mid-merit gas power plants. Consequently, PMCJ strongly opposes the related Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)’s draft resolution setting the pricing and guaranteed payment rules for the fossil gas auction. Both issuances lock the country into decades of dependence on fossil gas, exposing Filipinos to more unsafe, inefficient, unreliable, and uneconomical energy sources. On Mar. 13, 2026, the climate justice group already raised these concerns by submitting its formal comments opposing the draft DOE circular. PMCJ pointed out how the draft guidelines ignore the realities faced by frontline communities affected by fossil fuel projects in Batangas, citing the silent public health emergency linked to the operating gas plants. These concerns were not addressed in the final, issued version of the DOE circular and are now being raised once more at the Aug. 24-25 public consultations held by ERC on the draft resolution, which answered few to no questions from representatives of affected communities.

“If not barely afloat, the Filipino people are drowning from massive floods, soaring power rates, faulty water services, among other hardships. Despite these, the Philippine government continues to push for fossil gas development behind closed doors in the name of profit for private companies and despite people's opposition. We already warned the DOE about this: the absence of a clear, science-based phaseout timeline for gas aligned with the country’s climate commitments and the prioritization of expensive fossil gas capacity in grids will only bring more of the same–higher electricity costs, deeper fossil fuel dependence, and worsening health impacts. The ERC is now moving to finalize its pricing rules. If public consultations mean anything to this government, prove it and scrap this draft resolution and revoke the standing DOE circular,” lamented Ian Rivera, PMCJ national coordinator.

Beyond the policy concerns, communities living near the fossil gas projects in Batangas continue to raise alarms over their worsening living conditions. Emelita Casao of Clean and Healthy Air for All Batangueños (CABATANG), who attended the ERC consultation, expressed her dismay, saying she left with more questions than answers.

“The little hope I brought before stepping into the public consultation venue rapidly vanished as the ERC gave us nothing. We brought data-driven arguments, from the adverse effects of fossil gas plants on our health and livelihood, to studies that prove its inefficiency, but we got non-answers. Despite repeated disappointments, we are committed to continue fighting for our communities and the next generation,” said Casao.

In 2025, Batangas communities celebrated two wins: Ayala Corp. Energy's Ace Enexor disclosed the discontinuation of the proposed Batangas Clean Energy Project, and a month later, VIRES Energy Corp. announced the suspension of the 900-megawatt LNG power project.

PMCJ stressed that, even though the gas auction doesn’t warrant discussion, the group and the communities strive to make their voices heard on any available platform. Daisy Aballe, PMCJ Mindanao coordinator, who attended the public consultation for Visayas and Mindanao on Aug. 25, 2026, said that there is lack of clarity and preparation.

“It is borderline insulting that we took time to prepare our arguments but to no avail. In 2025, we successfully halted the proposed LNG plant in our area. The people of Kauswagan in Lanao del Norte are already suffering from the effects of the coal-fired power plant. There is justice in fighting relentlessly. Aside from our wins, we are backed by science in opposing these fossil fuel projects,” said Aballe.

With reference to the promotion of the gas industry under Republic Act No. 12120, or the Philippine Gas Industry Development Act, DOE’s DC mentioning the prioritization of indigenous gas doesn’t guarantee sustainability and, most importantly, lower costs. Rivera highlighted that indigenous fossil gas prices will be based on the Japan-Korea Marker when determining the Gas Auction Threshold prices; therefore, this still reflects volatility driven by geopolitical tensions, even as it seeks to undermine the use of imported LNG.

“There is no future in fossil gas. Coal has already proved that fossil fuels are a dying industry. A 1.5 GW of renewable energy capacity constructed this year and a 1.48 GW more in the pipeline have already provided a cushion to the projected shortfall due to the energy crisis. DOE must have implemented more policies to strengthen the use of renewables. A developing nation like the Philippines should strive to develop renewable energy (RE) given our huge RE potential. However, DOE stopped the offshore wind auction in favor of mid-merit gas bids despite IRENA’s 2026 report that hybrid systems combining solar, wind, and battery storage can now deliver firm, round‑the‑clock electricity at costs competitive with — and often lower than — coal and gas. DOE is the problem of the country’s climate ambition and the needed shift to renewables.” Rivera ended. ###