Ensure energy security; boost renewable power generation now

Everyone is feeling the pinch of the oil price shock.

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Each escalation of conflict in the Middle East sends this familiar shock through the Philippine economy. Oil prices surge, fuel costs rise, and the consequences cascade quickly—from increased prices of basic goods and higher cost of transport to mounting inflation. These disruptions occur because the Philippines remains heavily dependent on imported fossil fuel. Every geopolitical tremor in oil-producing regions reverberates in the daily lives of Filipino consumers.

This recurring vulnerability should compel policymakers to reassess how the nation approaches energy policy. Renewable energy must no longer be treated simply as environmental compliance or as a regulatory requirement under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. It must be recognized for what it truly is: a pillar of national economic security.

Countries that invested early in renewable energy have demonstrated how strategic foresight can reduce exposure to global oil shocks. Nations such as Denmark, Germany, and Iceland have built energy systems that rely heavily on wind, solar, and other renewable resources. Their economies are not immune to global energy fluctuations, but they are far less vulnerable because a significant share of their power is produced domestically from inexhaustible sources.