Environmentalist celebrity Jasmine Curtis-Smith has signed up as the Millennial Ambassador for a group of indigenous energy advocates led by the Ateneo School of Government and the Manila Observatory.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith went on social media to announce her joining the clean energy movement saying, “There are still 16 million Filipinos going without reliable electricity and this is due to lack of access as well as a surge in power costs due to imports of fuel. Imagine if we could source our own energy right here from our very own home? From solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and natural gas… all of which we already have.”
“Here to lead and begin progressive and positive discourse among the youth to create awareness, empower our knowledge and hopefully inspire our lawmakers and big-game players to start investing in our indigenous energy,” posted Curtis-Smith on Instagram.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith, known for supporting various environmental causes in the Philippines, was presented as the youth ambassador of the Philippine Energy Independence Council (PEIC) during its launch on September 3 at the Powertrends energy exhibition at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Manila.
The PEIC is a consortium of academic institutions that intends to engage with the government on energy policy development towards energy independence using new indigenous, renewable, and cleaner energy options for the country.
The TV epic Sahaya actress shared how she came to an awareness of environmental issues as she traveled across the Philippines for her film projects.
“I have seen many communities having no access to energy, while I encountered some communities that may have access to electricity but hardly use it because of its high cost,” said the star of “Maledicto”, the first Filipino film produced by Fox network in 2019.
“So when I found out that our country’s reliance on imports tolled heavily on energy cost, I knew that something should be done in order for the Philippines to be more energy independent—that is, to have enough energy resources within our country to supply our own energy demands,” Curtis-Smith shared about her decision to join the new energy advocates group.
Explaining her role as millennial youth ambassador for the PEIC, Curtis-Smith stated, “My role, as a millennial ambassador, is to bring the discourse of energy independence to the youth, and I am hoping that through this platform that I was given and with the youth’s help, we can actually motivate our decision-makers to invest more in our own energy sources.”
Jasmine Curtis-Smith is set to endorse the PEIC’s advocacy which is anchored on three objectives:
- address current and future energy reserve issues
- push for better alternative sources of energy, such as renewables and natural gas
- synergize the public and private sectors to forge a path towards energy security and, eventually, energy independence for the Philippines
PEIC chairman Dr. Tony La Viña, currently an Energy Collaboratory Director, a Senior Fellow in climate change of the Manila Observatory which recently started its NASA Climate Change Study collaboration, and former dean of the Ateneo School of Law, pointed out the immediate challenges being faced by the energy sector in the Philippines.
“The fact remains that our country needs a significant leap to explore and develop untapped natural resources in strategic locations in the country. Energy security, the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price, should, therefore, be a priority issue in every policy discussion in pursuit of national development” Dr. La Viña stated.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith earlier this year joined fellow Pinoy celebrity Erwan Heussaff and vlogger Kyle “Kulas” Jennerman for the Juan Effect advocacy of Cebu Pacific Air to protect Siargao, a surfing destination in the southern Philippines that is gaining international acclaim.
SEND cheers to Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Ateneo, Manila Observatory and the PEIC for championing renewable energy in the Philippines!
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