Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2704

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS,
I“District, Ilocos Norte

EXPLANATORY NOTE

As the Philippines begins to build its own renewable energy (RE) ecosystem, in
response to the spiraling cost and fast depletion of fossil fuels and the probable
catastrophic effects of climate change, there is an urgent need to establish an
institution which could train a pool of talents with sufficient expertise in the various
facets of RE development and operations. The idea of an Asian training hub to be
located in the Philippines for the upskilling and reskilling of technicians and scientists
is worth exploring with foreign governments and private firms. This could position
our country to become the ‘nerve center’ of talents and skills enforcement for the
emerging RE industry in the entire region.

In the field of wind energy alone, the government of Denmark as well as Danish
training service providers had a meeting of minds with our own Department of
Energy and the Wind Energy Developers Association of the Philippines (WEDAP) on
the proposal to establish a regional training center for the wind industry here in our
country. It has been noted that the Philippines has the advantage of having an
English-speaking workforce compared with those found in other countries in Asia.
Further, it has been observed that since the Philippines is one of the first movers into
the wind industry, then the potential for our being a first mover in the training space
would also be there.

It may be said that our country’s comparative advantage when it comes to wind
power similarly applies, to a varying extent, to the other aspects of renewable energy—
such as biomass, solar, geothermal, ocean energy, and hydropower.

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This bill aims to establish a renewable energy industry training center in the
Municipality of Bangui in the Province of Ilocos Norte. This local government unit
boasts of having the largest wind power generators (i.e., the Bangui Windmill Farm)
in the entire ASEAN Region. This makes Bangui an excellent candidate to become
the situs of a regional training hub for the renewable energy industry.

In view of all the foregoing considerations, the early approval of this bill is

earnestly requested.
FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2704

Introduced by Rep. FERDINAND ALEXANDER A. MARCOS
1* District, locos Norte

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY TRAINING
CENTER IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BANGUI IN THE PROVINCE OF
ILOCOS NORTE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known and referred to as the
“Renewable Energy Industry Training Center Act”.

SEC. 2. Renewable Energy Industry Training Center, - There is hereby
established the Renewable Energy Industry Training Center (hereinafter referred to as
the “Center”), to be located in the Municipality of Bangui in the Province of Ilocos
Norte, which shall be attached to the Department of Energy for policy and program
coordination.

SEC. 3. Purposes and Objectives. ~ The Center shall have the following purposes
and objectives:

a. Develop and upgrade the capabilities and skills of technicians and scientists,
enable competencies and certifications for current and future technologies for
the renewable energy industry;

b. Formulate a comprehensive policy for the research, development and
utilization of renewable energy;

c. Conduct studies and develop methods on more accessible use of renewable
energy;

d. Implement the government program on the allocation, distribution and sale of
renewable energy; and

e. Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act.


SEC. 4. Board of Trustees. - The powers and functions of the Center shall be
vested in a Board of Trustees (the “Board”) consisting of a Chairperson and four (4)
members. The Chairperson and two (2) members, who shall be appointed by the
President of Philippines, shall serve for a term of four (4) years, while the remaining
two (2) members shall be ex-officio members, who shall be composed of the Secretary
of Energy and the Secretary of Science and Technology, or their representatives. They
shall receive compensation as may be fixed by the President of the Philippines which
shall not exceed those given to Commissioners of Constitutional bodies. No person
shall be appointed Chairperson or members of the board unless he or she is a natural
bom Filipino citizen, at least thirty (30) years of age, of good moral character and
must have recognized competence in the fields of science and technology.

SEC. 5. Power and Duties of the Board of Trustees. - The Board of Trustees shall
have the following duties and responsibilities:

a, Prepare and issue rules and regulations it considers necessary for the effective
discharge of its functions;

b. Receive and appropriate all sums as may be provided for the support of the
Center in any manner it may determine, in its discretion, to carry out the
purposes and functions of the Center;

c. Receive in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal properties of
all kinds to administer and dispose of the same when necessary for the benefit
of the Center, subject to limitations, directions, and instructions of the donor,
if any.

Such donations shall be exempt from the donor’s tax and the same shall be
considered as allowable deductions from the gross income in the computation of the
income tax of the donor, in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal
Revenue Code, as amended: Provided, That such donations shall not be disposed of,
transferred, or sold;

d. Establish a research unit for the carrying out of its function; and

¢. Exercise such incidental powers as shall be necessary to cary out the
functions of the Center.

SEC. 6. Executive Director. - The administration of the Center shall be vested in
an Executive Director who shall render full-time service. The Executive Director shall
be appointed by the Board. He shall have a term of four (4) years and shall be eligible
for reappointment for another term.

In case of vacancy by reason of death, compulsory retirement, resignation,
removal for cause, or incapacity of the Executive Director to perform the functions of
the Center, the Board shall have the authority to designate an officer-in-charge of the
Center within six (6) months from the date of vacancy pending the appointment of a
new Executive Director.

‘The Executive Director shall exercise the following powers and duties:


a. Direct the management, operations, and administration of the Center;

b. Appoint such officers and employees, define their duties, fix their
compensation, discipline, and dismiss any for cause, subject to the Civil
Service Commission rules and regulations; and

c. Develop arrangements for institutional capability building with appropriate
institutions and agencies, public or private, local or foreign, and to appoint
experts or specialists as consultants or researchers, as the case may be.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. — The amount of One hundred million (Php
100,000,000.00) for the initial operation and maintenance of the Center, including its
building, facilities, and equipment, shall be sourced from the appropriations of the
Department of Energy. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continuous
operation of the Center shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this
Act.

SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations and
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,