The Senate Committee on Finance on Friday tackled the proposed national budget of the Department of Energy and its attached agencies for the year 2024 as presented by Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla.

The DoE, Energy Regulatory Commission and National Electrification Administration are seeking to acquire funding amounting to P2.59 billion, P664 million and P2.29 billion, respectively, to be utilized next year.

Senator Win Gatchalian, who presided over the panel's Subcommittee E hearing, sees the combined budget allocation of DoE and ERC totaling P3.1 billion "insufficient" as the agencies are in charge of making sure that the country gets adequate electricity and oil supplies.

"Just imagine, P3.1 billion? But in their hands lies the future of our energy sector as well as the regulation of our energy sector. That is why we want to hear if you have any desire to improve some components of your budget," he said.

During the budget deliberation, Senator Raffy Tulfo and Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda manifested their support for increasing the energy sector's budget for next year.

"In the 2024 NEP, it is very obvious how little [is] the proposed budget of the Department of Energy and its attached agencies and corporations. The proposed budget of DOE is only 2.59 billion pesos," Tulfo said.

"While that is already P370 million more than the 2023 budget, it is still a mere 0.04 percent of the total of the proposed expenditure program of the national government. Parang napakaliit naman yata nito kumpara sa halaga ng kuryente sa araw-araw nating buhay (It seems its meager compared to the energy costs in our daily lives)," he added.

Tulfo likewise called for an energy emergency fund, noting that the energy sector "serves a pivotal role in the nation's development."

"These agencies should be given ample resources to help manage an imminent energy crisis. An emergency fund is needed because we have seen how this has caused irreversible problems when the energy occurred in Mindoro and Samal recently," he said.

"As Chairman of the Committee on Energy, I strive to work in increasing funding for these agencies with the high expectation that they will work more effectively and efficiently," Tulfo added.