Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy — BARMM (MENRE)
The cabinet-level ministry of the Bangsamoro Government responsible for environment, natural resources, and energy within BARMM. MENRE is the Bangsamoro counterpart to the national Department of Energy (DOE) and is progressively assuming energy authority within its territory under the Bangsamoro Organic Law [PEP 2023-2050 Vol. I, p.41-46, 2023].
Entity Profile
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Entity class | government (BARMM) |
| Jurisdiction | Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao |
| National counterpart | Department of Energy (DOE) |
| IEB role | MENRE Minister is Co-Chairperson of IEB for the Bangsamoro Government |
Statutory Basis
RA 11054 Art. XIII §36(a) authorizes the Bangsamoro Government to build power generation and distribution utilities through “the Ministry of Energy it shall create.” MENRE currently carries this energy mandate as a combined environment, natural resources, and energy portfolio pending creation of a dedicated Ministry of Energy by Parliament [RA 11054, Art. XIII §36(a), 2018-07-26].
Transitional Responsibilities
MENRE is in the process of taking over energy functions from DOE within BARMM, subject to RA 11054 (BOL). Planned transfers include [PEP 2023-2050 Vol. I, p.43, 2023]:
- Powers and functions of DOE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (EPIMB) within BARMM
- Powers and functions of DOE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau (REMB) under Section 32 of RA 9513
- Implementation of RE policy mechanisms: RPS, Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), GEOP
DOE has provided orientation to MENRE on key regulatory processes — System Impact Study (SIS) clearance, Certificate of Endorsement to ERC, and EVOSS procedures — with hands-on training planned as a next step [PEP 2023-2050 Vol. I, p.45, 2023].
Downstream Policy
MENRE and DOE are targeting 2025 for joint review and adoption of the Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Regulation (PDNGR), Liquid Petroleum Products (LPP) Industry Rules, and inspection manuals for BARMM [PEP 2023-2050 Vol. I, p.46, 2023].