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while fast-tracking aid to individuals in “crisis situations”.

The Philippines, which has some of the region’s highest energy costs, is heavily dependent on imported fuel to keep its power plants running.

- Leaning on coal -

The archipelago nation of 116 million relies on coal for about 60 percent of its electricity generation.

Energy secretary Sharon Garin told reporters earlier Tuesday that with the cost of LNG (liquefied natural gas) soaring, the country would “temporarily” be forced to lean even more heavily on the carbon-belching fossil fuel.

While hoping to “maximise” the use of local coal, the Philippines was also keeping the option of upping its purchases of coal from top supplier Indonesia, the energy secretary said.

“We talked to the generation companies, the coal-powered plants, to check how much they can increase their generation,” Garin said, calling it a “temporary measure” that could start as early as April 1.

“If we are successful in implementing this, at least we can decrease the electricity rate hikes because of the conflict in the Middle East,” she said.

Indonesia, meanwhile, had assured the Philippines it would place no limits on coal orders.

“There’s no restriction on our importation of coal from Indonesia as of today,” Garin said, adding increased purchases may not be necessary.

President Marcos in January announced a “significant” discovery of natural gas made near the country’s rapidly depleting Malampaya offshore natural gas field.

It was hoped the discovery could extend the life of the field, which supplies about 40 percent of power to main island Luzon and was expected to run dry within a few years.