The GPDP 3 Research Seminar, Unlocking the Potential of Natural Gas in Batangas: Demand Mapping, Techno-Economic Viability, and Environmental Sustainability,  on 13 June 2025 at Joy Nostalg Hotel showcased findings from the project’s three studies that assessed demand, feasibility, and environmental sustainability of natural gas use in Batangas province.

The seminar brought together over 55 leaders and representatives from government, energy industry, and the academe to explore natural gas opportunities in Batangas.  Among the private energy companies in attendance were Aboitiz Power Corporation, Tokyo Gas, First Gen Corporation, MERALCO, Energy World Corporation Philippines, and Luzon Energy Terminal Inc.; government agencies including the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the House and Senate Committees on Energy; and academic institutions like Ateneo de Manila University, the University of the Philippines Diliman, and the Pacific Forum. All actively engaged and contributed to dynamic discussions on wider LNG adoption.

Assistant Director Rodela Romero of the Department of Energy’s Oil Industry Management Bureau underscored the strategic role of natural gas in the Philippines’ evolving energy landscape in her opening remarks while GPDP 3 Project Director, Dr. Rizalinda de Leon reinforced the project’s commitment to inform energy planning through evidence-based research.

Dr. Karl Robert Jandoc presented results from the study “Mapping Natural Gas Demand in Batangas Manufacturing Special Economic Zones,” which confirmed high energy demand among manufacturing economic zones making them viable markets for LNG conversion.

The technical and economic implications of this shift were outlined by Engr. Paul Jake Nalzaro and Ms. Thea Mae Baltazar, who discussed their study on the “Techno-Economic Feasibility of the Natural Gas Use in SEZs.” Their findings emphasized practical delivery models and cost scenarios that could attract investment and facilitate adoption.

The environmental aspect of LNG use was also addressed through Dr. Jhud Mikhail Aberilla’s presentation of their study, ‘Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Natural Gas Utilization in the Philippines.’ The study highlighted the fuel’s comparative advantages over coal and the importance of managing emissions across the supply chain.

In line with the project’s capacity building efforts, the methodologies for all three studies were initially presented to the Department of Energy in a dedicated Knowledge Transfer Workshop to equip the DOE-Natural Gas Management Division with the necessary tools and technical proficiency to replicate the research methodology.

The insights generated from the GPDP 3 studies hope to provide energy stakeholders with a strategic lens for promoting wider LNG adoption in the country—highlighting practical starting points and informing the direction of national energy planning.