Philippine Energy Research and Policy Institute Act (Republic Act 11572)

(a) Enhance and promote the acquisition of knowledge in recent developments and scientific breakthroughs in the field of energy; 3

(b) Identify key policy areas, issues, and challenges in direction and advice, other energy policy issues, and related the country’s energy sector; matters;

(c) Formulate multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary (f) To establish mechanisms for the dissemination and research-based policies and strategies for the cost-effective use utilization of research for technology and policy development of energy resources towards environmentally sound energy outputs; development; and (g) To create and administer training programs and

(d) Promote, enhance, and strengthen research efforts in provide fellowship grants intended to build the capacity of the public and private sectors that are focused on sustainable, government agencies, the academe including graduate and efficient, and indigenous energy sources. postgraduate students, and public and private energy stakeholders; " SEC. 3. Establishment of the Philippine Energy Research an and Policy Institute. — Pursuant to the. national policy of (h) To serve as a medium in bringing together local and enhancing the country’s capability for energy research and international experts in the field of energy through local and policy development, there is hereby established a Philippine international linkages; stestacinte 872 Energy Research and Policy Institute, hereinafter referred to as the Institute. The Institute shall be an independent agency (i) To create and maintain a data bank needed for the attached to the University of the Philippines (UP). The implementation of its functions, following the requirements Institute shall have its own budget separate from the UP. under Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the “Data wa Privacy Act of 2012”; and SEC. 4. Objectives of the Institute. — The objectives of im ae the Institute are: (j) To maximize the use of digital technologies in the SO get storage and dissemination of data and information, as well as (a) To conduct pertinent independent multidisciplinary or in the implementation of its other functions. ERIE TORS transdisciplinary energy research and policy development on energy issues guided by the research agenda determined by SEC. 5. Powers and Functions of the Institute. — The the Executive Board pursuant to Section 10 of this Act; Institute shall: ‘ aimee bank (b) To promote collaborative and multidisciplinary or (a) Formulate and conduct research and development on transdisciplinary energy research and policy development energy, energy technology, public policy issues in energy among government agencies, the academe, and other public markets, and other pressing issues and problems including the and private stakeholders; environment, health, and consumer impacts of energy policies and programs, all backed by rigorous empirical evidence; (c) To maintain its independence and to ensure research Bs endeavors shall not be influenced or constrained by political (b) Establish linkages with government agencies, other affiliations, technological bias, or other presuppositions; universities, and private and public institutions on existing energy research and policy studies; (d) To ensure the coordination and timely dissemination te mien set ME = 28 of results to key government agencies to guide policy and (c) Conduct research and policy development programs decision-making processes; and capacity-building trainings on energy: Provided, That special attention shall be given to the needs of the Department

(e) To provide assistance to the government, energy of Energy (DOE), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), regulators, and the legislature on energy issues needing policy and the legislature; 3 (d) Provide common research support facilities and SEC. 7. The Executive Director. — The Executive Director maximize the utilization of its technical experts and staff; shall be a recognized expert in energy research and policy development with at least three (3) years experience in the (e) Enhance the pool of researchers and faculty with energy sector, and shall have a strong organizational graduate and postgraduate degrees in the field of energy, such management background. The Executive Director shall be as energy economics, energy engineering, energy law, energy appointed by the UP President within sixty (60) calendar days statistics, and data science specializing in energy, among after the effectivity of the implementing rules and regulations others, by providing research grants within and outside th of this Act, upon the recommendation of the Executive Board. UP, among others; ‘ . The Executive Director shall serve in full-time capacity for a term of five (5) years which maybe renewed.

(f) Establish local and foreign linkages in energy research and policy development; Upon assumption, the Executive Director shall:

(g) Serve as the repository of all energy-related (a) Publicly disclose any previous employment, researches, studies, and data generated by the Institute and consultancy, or any connection with, and any pecuniary other academic, public and private groups, organizations, and interest in any energy industry participant; institutions; : (b) Divest of any and all interest in any energy industry

(h) Propose and allocate its annual budgetary resources participant; and while optimizing resource generation and utilization; and (c) Terminate employment or consultancy with any energy

(i) Receive and manage grants, aid, donations, industry participant. contributions, or any kind of assistance for achieving its objectives, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the The Executive Director shall strictly avoid any conflict UP. The amounts received and the sources of grants, aid, of interest in the conduct and performance of duties for the donations, contributions, or any kind of assistance received duration of the term. shall be published on its website for purposes of transparency. SEC. 8. Powers and Functions of the Executive Director. The Executive Board may assign additional powers and — The Executive Director of the Institute shall: functions to the Institute: Provided, That it shall be in accordance with the objectives of the Institute as stated in this (a) Implement and enforce research and policy direction Act. and priorities, policies, decisions, orders, rules, and regulations determined by the Executive Board; SEC. 6. Organizational Structure. - The Executive Director shall head the Institute and shall report directly to (b) Exercise administrative and supervisory functions over the Executive Board. The Institute’s research and policy the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the policies, direction and priorities shall be determined by the Executive programs, and projects of the Institute; Board and implemented by the Executive Director. The Institute shall be supported by a pool of research fellows, which (c) Recommend to the Executive Board, the following: shall include experts and researchers from diverse disciplines and various public and private universities across the country, (i) Organizational structure of the Institute including the and other technical staff in carrying out its functions. position classification and compensation of employees subject to Section 11 of this Act, 7 Gi) Appointment of research fellows, officers, and from the academe and two (2) members shall come from the employees of the Institute: Provided, That the pool of research private sector: Provided, further, That each representative fellows shall include experts and researchers from diverse shall come from different fields. disciplines, public and private universities, and other research institutions, and The other members of the Executive Board shall be chosen by the UP President. Each member shall have a term Gui) Overall budget of the Institute; of three (3) years, which can be renewed for two (2) more terms: Provided, That the first two (2) appointees from the (d) Submit to the Executive Board, regular reports on the academe and the first appointee from the private sector shall Institute to include annual reports on operations, status of have a term of two (2) years, which can be renewed for programs and projects, and the financial condition of the two (2) more terms. Any person appointed to replace a member Institute; who has resigned, died, or removed for cause shall serve only the unexpired portion of the term of the member replaced. (e) Apprise regularly the Executive Board on the programs and projects of the Institute; The Executive Board may invite the Secretaries of various government agencies as well as legitimate consumer and (f) Execute contracts, incur obligations, acquire and advocacy groups as resource persons during its meetings and dispose of assets, and deliver documents on behalf of the deliberations. — Institute, including negotiated or consultancy contracts for personnel and for the Institute’s pool of researchers within and SEC. 10. Powers and Functions of the Executive Board. — outside of the UP, within the limits of the authority The Executive Board shall: determined by the Executive Board; (a) Provide the general direction and priorities of the (g) Generate and obtain logistical and financial support Institute in accordance with this Act; for the programs and component units of the Institute with the assistance of the Executive Board: Provided, That in so (b) Determine research and policy areas for study and doing, no conflict of interest exists with the objectives of this investigation by the Institute and an annual research agenda, Act and the functions of the Institute; in consultation with the Executive Director, based on its evaluation of the local and international energy policy landscape (h) Not engage in any act that may result to a conflict and advancements in technology taking into consideration, of interest with the objectives, functions, and powers of the among others, the Philippine Energy Plan and the issuances Institute; and of the DOE, ERC, and other energy related agencies; (i) Exercise and perform such other powers, functions, and (c) Provide advice to the Institute on any matter relating duties as may be authorized or assigned by the Executive to the development of a research or polity area and the Board, and in accordance with the objectives of this Act. administration of research and policy research programs; & SEC. 9. Executive Board of the Institute. ~ There shall (d) Approve the following: be an Executive Board of the Institute to be composed of seven (7) members comprised of the UP President as the (i) Organizational structure of the Institute including ex officio Chairperson, and at least one (1) representative from position classification and compensation of employees subject the fields of engineering, law, science, statistics, economics, to Section 11 of this Act, in coordination with the Department social science, and public health, either from the academe or of Budget and Management (DBM), the private sector: Provided, That four (4) members shall come 9 access to the same, including its facilities in a manner Gi) Appointment of research fellows, officers, and employees of the Institute: Provided, That the pool of research provided in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act: fellows shall include experts and researchers from diverse Provided, That any public disclosure shall be in accordance disciplines, public and private universities, and other research with Section 14 of this Act and other existing laws, rules, and institutions, and regulations. (iii) Institute’s overall budget; SEC. 14. Confidentiality. - The Institute shall not post or disclose any proprietary or confidential data and other (e) Monitor and review the programs ‘and projects resources unless prior consent ‘of the source or owner of such undertaken by the Executive Director to implement and enforce data and resources has been obtained by the requesting party. research and policy direction and priorities; SEC. 15. Special Account for Energy Research. — A (f) Assist the Executive Director in generating. resources Special Account in the General Fund (SAGF) for energy and obtaining logistical and financial support for the programs research, which shall be maintained and managed by the and component units of the Institute: Provided, That in so Bureau of the Treasury, shall be established to support the doing, no conflict of interest exists with the objectives of this research undertaken by the Institute. The SAGF for .energy Act and the functions of the Institute; and research shall recognize and accept grants, contributions, and donations collected for energy research, for purposes of (g) Assign additional powers, functions, and duties of the executing its mandate and functions: Provided, That in so Executive Director in accordance with the objectives of this doing, no conflict of interest exists with the objectives of this Act. Act and the functions of the Institute. SEC. 11. Organization of Human Resource Complement. — SEC. 16. Appropriations. — There is hereby appropriated The human resource complement of the Institute shall be out of the General Appropriations Act, the sum of Two hundred organized and set up by the Executive Director subject to million pesos (P200,000,000.00) for the initial operating fund 10 of this Act and the existing rules and of the Institute. Thereafter, such amounts necessary for the Sections 8 and regulations of the UP. sustainable operations of the Institute shall be appropriated from the General Appropriations Act based on the annual In addition, the Executive Director shall maintain a pool financial plan approved by the Executive Board and submitted of researchers from various disciplines, such as engineering, to the DBM. law, science, statistics, economics, social science, public health, and other allied disciplines, in accordance with Section 8 of SEC. 17. Government Contribution to Research Funding. — this Act. Government agencies concerned are hereby authorized to include in their respective annual budget such necessary SEC. 12. Education and Capacity Building. - The amounts as their contribution to the funding of certain Institute shall, through its Executive Director, support further research activities of the Institute. education and training for its officers and employees, to include advanced degree studies, short-term programs, online courses, SEC. 18. Tax Exemptions and Tax Expenditure Fund. - and participation in conferences. The Institute shall be entitled to all the tax exemptions enumerated under Section 25 of Republic Act No. 9500, SEC. 13. Public Access. — The Institute shall make otherwise known as the University of the Philippines Charter available to the public its research papers, data, and other of 2008, as amended by Republic Act No. 10963, otherwise resources by posting these on its website, and shall provide known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act. 1 10 This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 1296 The Institute may avail of the Tax Expenditure Fund pursuant and House Bill No. 8928 was passed by the Senate of the to Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the Philippines and House of Representatives on May 17, 2021. Administrative Code of 1987, Presidential Decree No. 93 series of 1986, Presidential Decree No. 1177 series of 1977, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations. SEC. 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA ninety (90) calendar days from the effectivity of this Act, the UP, in consultation with the members of the’academe, and Secretary of the Senate other public and private stakeholders, shall promulgate the Sen . necessary implementing rules and regulations of this Act, subject to the approval of the UP Board of Regents, SEC. 20. Separability Clause. = If any portion or provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect. SEC. 21. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, rule, or RODRI ROA DUTERTE ’ yegulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby President of the Philippines repéaled or modified accordingly. O SEC. 22. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. REPUBLIC Approved, oF TEE PHILIPPINES PRRD 2016 — 019156 Gfiice of the President ™ MALACANANG RECORDS OFIC of Representatives President of\the Senate CERTIFIED COPY fe ATTY. CORCEPCIOR ERY E, FERROLINO—ap 9/2 DIRECTSty