13 interested in coal projects

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy has received 13 proposals for over a half of the areas it had offered for the Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR) 2009 for coal which closed last Monday.

Undersecretary Ramon V. Oca said the proposals were submitted by 13 companies.

The contracting round for coal opened last May, involving 30 areas. Winning bidders will be awarded contracts to explore and develop the country’s energy resources.

"We’d like to finish as early as we can ... we will try to finish it within a month if we can," Mr. Oca said. "[These are] more of work programs. We still don’t know yet the proposed expenditures," he said, referring to the applications, adding that many of the proposals were for the Zamboanga peninsula.

The next contracting round will be for petroleum areas, and will start "hopefully this month," Mr. Oca said.

Among the areas offered for the 2009 coal contracting round were Cebu, Quezon, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.

Companies were required to submit a proposal, which includes a work program as well as financial, technical and legal documentation.

A panel will evaluate the applications based on a company’s resource exploration strategy, utilization and production approach, evidence of available funds and financial track record, technical resources and validity of legal documents. (Business World)

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