Undersecretary J.V. Emmanuel A. De Dios of the Department of Energy headed the first Philippine delegation to the 22^nd World Gas Conference 2003 (WGC2003) held in Tokyo, Japan and presented on Monday, June 2, 2003 his paper entitled “Developing the Philippine Natural Gas Industry.”

De Dios highlighted in his presentation that the birth of the Philippine natural gas industry brings the country closer to its goal of harnessing environmentally sound fuels to ensure a stable, diverse and secure energy supply. He urged international gas companies to look and invest at the country’s requirement for additional gas-generated capacity, other non-power applications and the necessary infrastructure that is to bring the natural gas to its potential markets. The infrastructure includes the appropriate pipeline transmission and distribution networks, LNG terminals and facilities, gas refilling stations for CNG-run vehicles and ancillary facilities.  

He also informed the international body that the stage for the industry’s development has been set with the preparation of a gas policy framework, industry rules and regulations and a pronouncement by no less than the Philippine President for the preferential generation of power using natural gas. De Dios averred that with clear and concise policies, objectives, programs and strategies formulated by the DOE, together with the critical cooperation and participation of the private sector, a successful natural gas industry is ensured.  

WGC2003 is scheduled from June 1-5, 2003 and is the first time in its 72-year history that it is being held here in Asia . It is attended by 4,800 delegates from all over the world, also the largest in its history. This year’s theme is Catalysing an Eco-Responsible Future. The World Gas Conference is held every three years by the International Gas Union to present research results and conduct discussions on a broad range of topics, including policy-related issues like how energy affects the environment and society as well as technical issues such as gas energy-related production, storage, transportation, distribution, and consumption. In particular, WGC2003, in particular, provides a good opportunity to consider and discuss energy issues confronting Asia from a global perspective and marks the first step towards an expanded role for the WGC in the 21st century.  

Participants at the WGC come from industry, government, and academia; they include representatives of international energy organizations; energy ministers from various nations; top managers of energy-related forums; researchers at private enterprises, universities, and research institutions; and engineers.  

Together with the WGC 2003, the International Gas Union organized the World Gas Exhibition 2003 which is participated in by 230 firms and organization from 40 countries around the world. The exhibition features not only exhibits from all sectors of the gas industry but also from other industrial sectors with topics ranging from fusion of environmental and information technologies with energy technologies to the hydrogen technologies that are blazing the trail for fuel cell cogeneration technologies and its vehicles.