The Regional Development Council (RDC) VIII-Infrastructure and Utilities Development Committee (IUDC) confirmed the composition of the RDC VIII-IUDC Sub-committee on Energy during its 3rd Quarter 2017 Meeting on 22 September 2017. The Sub-committee is chaired by Department of Energy (DOE) Visayas Field Office Director Antonio Labios and co-chaired by RDC VIII-Private Sector Representative (PSR) for Business Groups, Mr. Oliver Cam. The members come from selected government agencies, private sector, and key power sector players.

The creation of the Sub-committee was prompted by the impact of the 6.5 magnitude earthquake on July 6, 2017, which caused total power outage in the region and parts of Bohol, resulting in economic losses in the business sector. Because of this situation, the RDC VIII Executive Committee, in its emergency meeting held on 08 July 2017 to discuss actions to address the post-earthquake power situation, decided to create the Sub-committee.

During the Sub-committee’s organizational meeting, it was then agreed to convene again in October 2017 to discuss more comprehensively important issues concerning the region’s energy sector.

The meeting was presided by the RDC VIII-IUDC Chairperson and DPWH VIII Regional Director Edgar B. Tabacon, with the assistance and support of the RDC VIII-IUDC Co-Chairperson PSR Oliver Cam. It was attended by fifty (50) representatives from regional line agencies, local government units, private sector, guests and resource persons.

Lucille B. Gajutos, PMED, NEDA VIII