“It was always [the local government of Butuan] dictating the road map for us,” Agot continued, describing the multi-stakeholder nature of the project and the objectives of WWF-Philippines in Butuan as a facilitator of the interests of parties. Aside from the need for an increased supply of electricity to coerce development in the city, WWF-Philippines recognized that the pursuit should involve stakeholders from both the public and private sector. “That’s really the emphasis – that if the private sector gives their voice, government should be open to hearing them. This is another form of participation,” said Agot, stressing the importance of letting the public have a voice in matters of development. With interested parties including government institutions, private businesses, media groups and the academe, FinRE-BXU hopes to bring together all stakeholders and to allow them to lend their voices in directing the course in which Butuan’s energy planning process moves in.

Since FinRE-BXU looks to involve the public in the planning process, there is the possibility that developments lead toward fossil fuels as opposed to renewable energy. Despite this risk, however, the project team is optimistic. Atty. Ibay explained that the same democratic planning process was followed in Palawan, and that computations considered the cost of constructing a coal plant, considered to be the cheapest power source. These computations found that exploring renewable energy would, in fact, be cheaper, which factored significantly in the success of the Palawan project. “We think for Butuan,” explained Ibay, “that even if they were to include fossil fuels in their computations, at the rate the cost of renewables are going down there’s confidence that they won’t [pursue non-renewable energy sources].”

Aside from the WWF-Philippines and Butuan City representatives’ reiteration of the significance of climate change and its effects on mankind, the event also provided updates on Ambisyon 2040, the countries’ ideal development roadmap for the coming two decades courtesy of NEDA Assistant Secretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos. The roadmap was further contextualized for Mindanao by Mindanao Development Authority Acting Area Head for North Eastern Mindanao Lordilie Saliguma-Aljambre. Department of Energy’s Planning Chief Mr. Michael Sinocruz also discussed the Philippine Energy Plan prior to the breakout sessions where the participants were given the opportunity to brainstorm possible renewable energy solutions and the challenges those solutions may pose.