ER 1-94 Corporate Social Responsibility Therma South, Inc. Sustainability COVID-19 Response

The Energy to Forge Forward: Therma South aids in COVID-19 relief, one dose of #PositiveEnergy at a time

September 08, 2020

COVID-19 has brought upon unprecedented times. The pandemic has shown no regard for class or creed, and continues to affect the lives of Filipinos. Over a hundred days in quarantine, with no end in sight, the country and its people hope for the ordeal to pass sooner. To date, the Philippines has over 49,000 active cases nationwide and the impact on healthcare and the economy is felt by all. While Filipino resilience is commendable and the spirit of Bayanihan holds strong, the energy to continue dwindles like in all long-drawn-out wars.

In Davao region where 400 active cases are present, lie the Barangays of Binugao and Inawayan. Small towns where over 12,000 people call home. WIth the effects of the pandemic spanning the nation, smaller communities may not easily get the assistance they need. The support from organizations big or small oftentimes is their reprieve.

AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc (TSI), located on the borders of Davao City and Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, is one of the organizations that responded to the needs of the residents of Barangays Binugao and Inawayan.

Understanding that healthcare needs for the region must be strengthened and sustained, TSI formalized a partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao del Sur and Aboitiz Foundation to scale up the facilities of Davao del Sur Provincial Hospital. Therma South also donated close to P1 million worth of medical personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and food packs to the community and local government units.

Apart from these COVID-19 response efforts, TSI was also able to provide support through the creation of isolation facilities and distribution of relief goods for the residents amounting to over P9 million through the funds gained in the Energy Regulations 1-94 program (ER 1-94).

The ER 1-94 program is a policy under the Department of Energy (DOE) Act of 1992 and Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) which stipulates that host communities will get a share of one centavo for every kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales of power generation companies operating in its area.

“Your contributions inspire our frontliners to continue the sacrifices that they make to flatten the curve and protect more people from contracting the disease.” said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio through a letter addressed to Therma South.

As the pandemic continues to plague the nation, empowering the citizens to keep marching on come in all forms. Regardless of how one contributes, the actions each countrymen make to support one another serve as the driving force to combat COVID-19 as one.

Wholly-owned AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) is the owner and operator of the 300-megawatt Davao Baseload Power Plant located in Binugao, Toril, Davao City. It is the first power plant in Mindanao to utilize the Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology. TSI is also certified in three ISO standards, namely Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015), Environmental Management (ISO 14001:2015), and Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSAS 18001:2007).