BONGAO, BARMM — October 15, 2026 — A coalition of Mindanao and Visayas stakeholders has submitted an open letter to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and key energy officials, calling for the immediate revocation of the Original Proponent Status granted to San Miguel Global Power for the Agus-Pulangi Hydro Plant Complex Rehabilitate-Operate-Maintain-Plus project.
The letter dated October 12, 2026 was addressed to President Marcos, Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go, Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin, ERC Chair Francis Saturnino C. Juan, DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, NPC President Jerico Jonas B. Nograles, PSALM CEO Dennis Edward A. Dela Serna, and the chairs of the Senate and House energy committees. The Mindanao Congressmen Bloc was copied.
Who signed
The signatories include the Northern Mindanao Bloc, Central Mindanao Bloc, Southern Mindanao Bloc, Visayas Supporting Mindanao Bloc, Lanao Bloc, and APHPC Managers. They describe themselves as LGUs, industry leaders, USTP PhD scientists, Agus Hydro Plant managers, consumers, and climate advocates who have backed the Mindanao Energy Storage Project since 2024.
Core demand
The groups asked the government to revoke SMGP’s OPS and instead advance what they call the Mindanao Energy Storage Project, or MESP. They argue the country’s energy future must be affordable, clean, indigenous, and transparent to attract manufacturing, support SMEs, and cut power costs that they say remain 50% to 33% higher than ASEAN neighbors.
What is MESP
According to the letter, MESP was engineered by a four-time Presidential Awardee and former NPC Vice President together with USTP scientists, veteran NPC hydro managers, and licensed engineers. It integrates three technologies: HED, CEHP, and SOPS, based on “Energy Trading” and “Energy Storage.” The groups cited a Philippine patent on HED: PH12013000217 filed in 2013 and published in 2015.
MESP gained regional support after winning endorsements in four 2024 forums: the Mindanao Power Summit on May 31, the Mindanao Development Authority on Sept. 4, the Mindanao Clean Energy Forum on Sept. 12, and the Mindanao Business Conference on Sept. 13.
Three problems cited
The letter outlines three issues in the power sector:
- Economic stagnation and energy poverty: Post-EPIRA industrial rates rose 185%, compared to a 44% ASEAN average, which the groups link to low generation per capacity and high unemployment.
- Rate hikes after privatization: They claim rates on indigenous geothermal and hydro plants were raised despite being insulated from imported fuel prices.
- Wasted clean energy: Between 2015 and 2022, Mindanao allegedly bypassed 61 billion kWh of carbon-free hydro power due to unchecked coal expansion, in violation of RE priority dispatch and the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Proposed solution
Beyond baseload hydropower, MESP proponents say the project can eliminate reliance on expensive peaker plants and costly frequency regulation through its storage and dispatch capabilities.
The groups reaffirmed both strategic backing and intent to directly invest in the transformational renewable hydro project.
Want me to turn this into a press-release format, a 300-word news brief for local outlets, or translate it to Filipino for wider distribution in Mindanao?
Office of the President
Presidential Action Center (PACe)
[email protected]
Verify before sending
Previously identified as PACe contact, but the official page’s email display was masked in the search result. Confirm on the official Office of the President contact page.
https://op-proper.gov.ph/contact-us/
Hon. Sharon S. Garin — Department of Energy (DOE)
[email protected]
Found in official DOE directory
Secretary’s listed email.
https://www.doe.gov.ph/
Atty. Francis Saturnino C. Juan
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
[email protected]; [email protected]
Found in official/government directory
Use the named contact and/or ERC general inbox. Consider copying only the appropriate official address.
https://www.erc.gov.ph/
Jericho Jonas B. Nograles
National Power Corporation (NPC)
[email protected]
Found in official NPC directory
President & CEO contact.
https://www.napocor.gov.ph/
Dennis Edward A. Dela Serna – PSALM
Not verified
No direct email confirmed. Obtain the current official correspondence address from PSALM and address the letter to the Office of the President & CEO.
https://www.psalm.gov.ph/
Sen. Erwin T. Tulfo — Senate
[email protected]
Not verified; role needs correction
Do not use an inferred email address. Current Senate Committee on Energy chair identified in the official 20th Congress listing is Sen. Pia S. Cayetano, not Sen. Tulfo. Confirm the intended recipient/role before sending. https://senate.gov.ph/
Rep. Franz Josef “Peto” E. Alvarez — House of Representatives
[email protected]
Not verified; role needs correction
Do not use an inferred email address. Current House Committee on Energy chair identified in the official committee listing is Rep. Jose C. Alvarez, not Franz Josef E. Alvarez. Confirm the intended recipient/role before sending. https://www.congress.gov.ph/
Hon. Sec. Leo Tereso A. Magno
[email protected]
Chairperson, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)
Hon. Usec. Rizza Blanco-Latorre
[email protected]
Executive Director, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center
[email protected]
- High Electricity Cost vs. ASEAN Neighbors
- Three Technologies — One System
- Hybrid Economic Dispatch (HED)
- Circular Energy for Hydro Plants (CEHP)
- Solar Ocean Pumped Storage (SOPS)
- Mass-Based Ownership
