In any event, energy conservation must persist

MANILA, Philippines — The national energy emergency has renewed attention on energy conservation, or the more prudent and efficient use of fuel and electricity in daily life. With concerns over energy supply and prices, the situation has prompted consumers to prioritize essentials over nonessentials unless they are willing to pay higher costs.

While geopolitics and its outcomes are beyond consumers’ control, personal consumption is something individuals can manage. As a company leader once said: “Energy is produced only if it is consumed. At the root of the demand are our collective behaviors, needs, and desires.”

READ: Learning from successes in Manolo Fortich

While the burden does not fall solely on individual end users, everyone can do their part. People can walk, bike, or use public transportation when able and practical, unplug electronics when not in use, or maximize natural lighting instead of turning on lights.

There are also accessible energy-saving alternatives, such as LED lightbulbs and inverter-type refrigerators and air conditioners.

For air conditioners, one practical step is setting the thermostat to a comfortable 24-25 degrees Celsius while using fans. Compared with a 16-18 degree setting — which makes the machine work harder and consume more energy but will not cool a room much faster — this approach is estimated to save hundreds to thousands of pesos in energy consumption, depending on the machine type and usage.

The Department of Energy recently reported that 158 malls adopted energy-efficiency measures in response to the national energy emergency and saved 23 megawatts of electricity over 19 days. Similarly, a 14% reduction in fuel and electricity use — about 0.7 megawatts in savings — was observed in government agencies after they conducted their own fuel and operational efficiency strategies.

In power generation, a kilowatt-hour saved is a kilowatt-hour that does not need to be produced.

Energy conservation, however, must persist. Even under normal economic conditions, society is prone to the prosperity paradox, in which greater energy efficiency and affordability can lead to more consumption, offsetting gains and savings initially created.

At the outset, this is not necessarily a negative, particularly in the context of social mobility. More sitios and barangays in the Philippines are being connected to electric grids, making computers, air conditioners and refrigerators viable for previously unserved and underserved communities for the first time. With rising temperatures and populations, air conditioners and refrigerators can sustain lives through space cooling and food storage, respectively.

On the other hand, the prosperity paradox can lead to more waste, adding pressure to energy supply and prices. While “prosperity” evokes economic growth and rising personal incomes and spending power, the “paradox” is that, regardless of technological leaps in efficiency, neglectful behavior and a desire for excess can combine to drive overconsumption and higher costs in the broader view.

The Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) observed in 2025: “While market prices show monthly fluctuations, typically spiking during summer periods or warmer months, it is also notable that smaller margins between demand and supply correspond to higher rates than the average.”

Technologies shaped by evolving efficiency standards and innovations have changed how society consumes energy. Still, collective behaviors, needs and desires remain as important — if not more so — in determining the health of the system, whether it is in crisis or not.

Energy conservation and prudent, efficient personal consumption can minimize waste. Simple daily habits, taken together, can significantly improve overall energy efficiency.

Suiee Suarez, our guest columnist, is AboitizPower VP for Corporate Affairs