Sen. Edgardo Angara said the meeting would highlight the international community’s united effort in promoting renewable energy.

Angara is chair of the Senate committee on science and technology and the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering, host of the global meet.

Amid fluctuating oil prices, the conference aims to find ways to leverage the Philippines’ new Renewable Energy Act, to create a domestic clean energy sector, and create jobs in this arena, Angara said in a statement.

“With the world in an economic slump, some analysts claim the growing clean energy movement would come to a halt,” he said.

“But it does not have to be a choice between economic recovery and clean energy,” Angara said. “On the contrary, this is the best time to go into renewable energy.”

The conference is expected to draw local and international participants from the academe, and industry, investor, entrepreneur and media sectors.

Michael Lim Ubac, Philippine Daily Inquirer