The Philippines and Slovenia are transferring to deepen long-term cooperation on energy safety, leveraging science, innovation, and stronger public-private-academic linkages to construct extra resilient and cost-efficient energy methods.
At the “Science2Business: Energy Resilience for Enhanced Security” convention held April 21 on the Manila Polo Club, officers from each international locations highlighted the urgency of translating analysis into real-world options, particularly as geopolitical tensions and local weather risks reshape global energy landscapes.
Organized by the Stratbase Institute in partnership with the Embassy of Slovenia within the Philippines — Ljubljana’s first in Southeast Asia — the discussion board underscored a shared push for a science-to-business (S2B) strategy to energy growth.
Stratbase COO Rupert Paul Manhit pointed to Slovenia as a mannequin for aligning authorities, business, and civil society by way of research-driven innovation, an strategy he mentioned the Philippines can emulate because it positions itself as a hub for inexperienced metals and renewable energy.
“We are entering this period with important advantages. We have in place the right policy direction, with stronger support for renewable energy, infrastructure development, and digital transformation,” he mentioned.
Manhit pressured that partnerships can be key to unlocking these alternatives: “We believe that progress is best achieved through cooperation with like-minded countries — those that share our commitment to mutual growth, ethical innovation, and rules-based cooperation… Slovenia is one such partner.”
Slovenian Ambassador Smiljana Knez affirmed her nation’s readiness to work intently with the Philippines by way of expertise sharing, educational collaboration, and public-private partnerships. She additionally pushed for stronger energy effectivity measures, describing them as important to decreasing prices and addressing local weather risks.
Special Envoy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga referred to as for a “quadruple-helix” mannequin of innovation — bringing collectively authorities, academia, business, and communities — to deal with converging global threats.
“This threat convergence requires countries such as the Philippines to continuously re-examine development and security priorities in order to ensure that we attain stability and resilience through food, energy, and water security,” she mentioned in her keynote tackle.
From Slovenia, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr. Igor Papič underscored the nation’s heavy investments in analysis, noting that energy resilience “in the face of geopolitical disruption is a crucial aspect of our security and sustainable development.”
“The transfer of this knowledge into practice, especially into the economy, is essential for the development and prosperity of our country. This government is fully aware of that. That is why we have made significant investment in both knowledge and its application,” he added.
Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum echoed the necessity to strengthen collaboration, stressing that diversifying the nation’s energy sources is now “more urgent than ever” to safeguard nationwide safety.
While the Philippines might not be straight hit by the present global energy disaster, Solidum famous its ripple results on transport and different sectors. Since 2011, the Department of Science and Technology has backed 71 initiatives price ₱652 million to advance photo voltaic, wind, ocean, and waste-to-energy applied sciences.
“Reinforcing our resilience to climate and disaster threats is no longer optional. It is a necessity,” Solidum mentioned. “We anticipate collaboration and solutions for both countries to prosper.”