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ec Republic of the Philippines

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QR) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
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BACONG PILIPINAS

DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR NO. DC <p <¢- 6&- OPS,

PRESCRIBING THE CERTIFICATION OF ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICERS
THROUGH THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY MICRO-CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

WHEREAS, Section 2 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7638, as amended or otherwise known
as the “Department of Energy (DOE) Act of 1992” states that it is the policy of the State
to ensure a continuous, adequate, reliable, and economic supply of energy through,
among others, judicious conservation, renewal, and efficient utilization of energy, to
keep pace with the country’s growth and economic development;

WHEREAS, RA 11285 otherwise known as the “Energy Efficiency and Conservation
(EEC) Act” declares the policy direction of the government in terms of energy
efficiency, conservation, sufficiency, and sustainability in the country;

WHEREAS, Section 5 of the EEC Act provides that the DOE shall be the lead agency
in the implementation of the EEC Act, responsible for the planning, formulation,
development, implementation, enforcement, and monitoring of energy management
policies and other related EEC plans and programs;

WHEREAS, Section 49 of DOE Department Circular (DC) No. DC2019-11-0014 or the
“Implementing Rules and Regulations of the EEC Act” (EEC-IRR) mandates the
establishment of a system for assessing and certifying ECOs and energy managers,
namely the DOE and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), to raise professional standards in energy management;

WHEREAS, Section 50 of the EEC-IRR requires a Certified Energy Conservation
Officer (CECO) to pass the certification examination and assessment developed by
the DOE, in consultation with the relevant government and industry stakeholders.
Further, CECOs must participate in energy efficiency and conservation seminars
conducted by TESDA, or approved third-party institutions as part of their continuing
qualification;

WHEREAS, Section 12 of the EEC Act provides that the CECO certification system,
to be developed by the DOE and TESDA, must include an approved scope of practice,
a set of competency standards with a clear assessment and certification process, and
a certification for the determined competency undertaken by the prescribed
governance structure and quality assurance systems and aligned with the Philippine
Qualifications Framework (PQF) and applicable international standards. Towards this
end, TESDA shall facilitate the registration of the program for the conduct of training,
assessment, and certification of workers for identified and prioritized qualification/s.
The registration as Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs
shall be opened to public training providers, nonprofit organizations, and other private

Energy Center, Rizal Drive cor. 34th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines 1632
Tel. No. (Trunkline) (632) 8479-2900
Website: http://www.doe.gov.ph; Email: infocenter@doe.gov.ph
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DC on the Prescribing the Certification of ECOs through TESDA MCP Page 2 of 6

training institutions. The guidelines for this purpose shall be developed by TESDA in
coordination with DOE;

WHEREAS, on 13 April 2020, the DOE and TESDA signed a Memorandum of
Agreement on the development of Competency Standards (CS) on EEC:

WHEREAS, the DOE issued DC No. DC2022-03-0007 or the “Adoption of Training
Regulations for the Certification of Energy Conservation Officers (ECOs)” which
adopts the CS for certifying ECOs;

WHEREAS, the Micro-Credential Program (MCP) is defined as an industry-recognized
and/or qualification-related skill-specific training and certification lesser in coverage
compared to a full qualification or the TESDA-prescribed cluster of units of
competency;

WHEREAS, MCPs align with the objectives of TVET by providing modular and
accessible learning opportunities that cater to the upskilling and reskilling needs of the
workforce. They enable learners to progressively achieve recognized qualifications,
ensuring their skills remain relevant to industry demands. MCPs are also compatible
with the PQF in principle, as they contribute to lifelong learning and professional
development, though practical implementation within the PQF requires adjustments to
effectively recognize and certify individual competencies:

WHEREAS, the DOE recognizes TESDA's micro-credential certification as an
additional certification system for ECOs, which is compliant with the objectives of the
EEC Act and EEC-IRR. This recognition supports the integration of MCPs into the
broader framework of energy management professional standards:

WHEREAS, the conservation and efficient utilization of energy are among the major
Strategies of the Government to realize energy self-sufficiency and reduce
environmental impacts of energy generation and utilization as instituted in the
Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) and DOE DC No. DC2023-05-0018 or the National EEC
Program (NEECP); and,

WHEREAS, on 23 May 2024, the DOE conducted public consultations attended by
various stakeholders to present the draft DC and to consolidate inputs from
stakeholders in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of all the foregoing premises and
pursuant to its mandate under the EEC Act and EEC-IRR, the DOE hereby issues,
adopts, and promulgates the following:

Section 1. Title. This DC shall be known as the “MCP and Certification for the
Recognition of ECOs.”

Section 2. Scope and Coverage. This DC shall cover the following:

a. CS for the MCP of ECOs;
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b. Guidelines and procedures on the registration, training, assessment,
certification, and recertification of ECOs;

c. Guidelines and procedures on the recognition of training institutions for the
conduct of the training programs for ECO applicants; and

d. Supporting mechanisms to promote the development of undergraduate and
professional certificate programs on energy management to ensure the
availability of competencies and skills required to promote and achieve the
country's sustainable energy goals.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this DC, the following terms shall be
understood to mean:

a. “Candidate” refers to a person applying as a CECO;

b. “Micro-Credential Program” refers to an industry-recognized and/or
qualification-related skill-specific training and certification lesser in
coverage compared to a full qualification or the TESDA-prescribed cluster
of units of competency;

c. “Recognized Training Institutions (RTI)” refers to accredited entities that
complied with the requirements identified by the DOE in this DC. RTIs are
the only entity eligible to conduct prescribed training programs for ECOs;
and

d. “Training Regulation (TR)” refers to the promulgated document that serves
as the basis for which the competency-based curriculum, instructional
materials, and competency assessment tools are developed.

Section 4. Adoption of the MCP Module. The MCP module shall be based on the
developed CS indicated in Annex A of this DC. The DOE, together with TESDA and
members of the technical working group (TWG), shall be responsible for updating the
MCP Module, as deemed necessary.

Section 5. Recognition and Certification of Training Institutions. Training
Institutions are required to develop their training plans based on the MCP Module and
shall seek accreditation with TESDA. Duly accredited entities with TESDA registered
program on EEC Level Ill shall be recognized by the DOE and shall form part of the
RTls for ECOs.

Section 6. Certification Requirements. Apart from completing the competencies
provided under the CS in Annex A, the Candidate shall also satisfy the following
requirements to be certified as an ECO by the DOE:

a. At least two (2) years of experience handling Designated Establishments
(DE);

b. Endorsement from a DE;
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c. Endorsing DE’s compliance with submission of the Annual Energy
Utilization Report (AEUR) and Annual Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Report (AEECR): Provided, That the applicant should be the one who
facilitated the endorsing DEs compliance with the EEC Act. Should the DE
change their EE Practitioner and employ a new one, the DE shall include
said information on the endorsement letter;

d. At least a high school graduate; and

e. Endorsing DE’s compliance with submission of the Energy Audit Report
(EAR).

Section 7. Application for Certification as CECO. Upon completion of the
prescribed MCP Module, the Candidate shall submit the following documents to the
DOE:

a. Duly accomplished CECO Application Form (Annex B);
b. Endorsement letter from the head of the DE;
c. Certified True Copy of the TOR and/or Diploma; and

d. Proof of payment for the Application Fee for Certification of One Thousand
Pesos (PhP1,000.00).

All documents shall be submitted to the identified platform of the DOE indicated in
Annex C. Application for Certification shall follow the procedure stated in Annex D.

Section 8. Responsibilities of CECO. All registered CECOs shall observe the
responsibilities under DC No. DC2021-01-0001 or the “Guidelines for the
Qualifications, Assessment, Registration and Certification of Energy Conservation
Officers (CECO), Energy Managers (CEM), and Energy Auditors (EA).”

Section 9. Validity of Certification. The Certification shall be valid for three (3) years.
Thereafter, the recertification will be processed after submission of a Training
Certificate from RTI.

Section 10. Recertification as CECO. The recertification will be valid for the next
three (3) years and continuing qualifications shall still be based on the prevailing CS
of DOE at the time of application. CECOs with training certificates based on the MCP
Module shall comply and submit the following to the DOE prior to their recertification:

a. Certificate of Completion of the CECO Training based on the CS under DC
No. DC2022-03-0007 or the Department Circular on the Adoption of TR for
the Certification of ECOs;

b. Proof of experience from DEs specifically specifying the roles and scope of
responsibility of the Candidate in the facility/building. The experience of the
Candidate related to the qualifications of a CECO shall be no less than 450
hours; and
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c. Updated CECO Application Form (Annex B).

Section 11. Transitory Provisions for ECOs with Existing Certification. An ECO
with an existing certification from international and/or local organizations/bodies, such
as the ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE), shall apply for Certification and will be granted
the initial Certification valid for three (3) years: Provided, That all items in Section 7 of
this DC, must be complied with. In lieu of the Certificate of Completion of the CECO
Training under Section 10 of this DC, the applicant must submit a Certificate of
Completion, or a similar/equivalent Certification, together with the coursework, from
the international and/or local organizations/bodies: Provided further, That the existing
certification from international and/or local organizations/bodies shall be on or before
the effectivity of this DC.

Section 12. RT| and CECO Database. The DOE shall develop and manage a
centralized database of RTIs. Only those RTIs with registered programs on EEC Level
Ill with TESDA and recognized CS by DOE will be allowed to conduct training for
Candidates. Likewise, only Registered CECOs to the DOE will serve in compliance
with the requirements of DEs.

Section 13. Fees, Scholarship, and Grants. TESDA, in coordination with the DOE,
shall devise training fees for CECOs and provide scholarships in the interest of
providing competent EEC service and in line with the TESDA Reform and
Development Agenda.

To provide opportunities for select students, the DOE shall establish a scholarship
program chargeable to the NEECP. The DOE and TESDA shall establish the minimum
requirements covering the qualifications and eligibility of the students, as well as the
application procedure.

Section 14. Information, Education, and Communication Activities. Pursuant to
Section 85 of the EEC-IRR, the Energy Utilization Management Bureau (EUMB) shall
develop and undertake a national awareness and advocacy program covering EEC
and pursue a partnership with relevant stakeholders for the appreciation of this DC.

Further, the EUMB may issue Implementing Guidelines (IG) and Advisories, as
deemed necessary, for a more streamlined and efficient implementation of this DC;
Provided, That an IG may only be issued after the conduct of a public consultation or
focus group discussion with the concerned stakeholders.

Section 15. Recognition Program for Outstanding CECOs. Pursuant to DC No.
DC2023-10-0030, the DOE shall recognize outstanding CECOs who are responsible
for the successful reduction of energy consumption of the entity they are managing.

Section 16. Quality Assurance Review. The DOE shall periodically review, update,
and issue necessary rules relative to the development and adoption of CS for CECOs
every three (3) years from the date of issuance, or earlier as the need arises.

Section 17. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Review. To ensure the continuous quality
and improvement of the Certification, Accreditation, and Recognition procedures, the

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DOE through the EUMB shall conduct annual monitoring and evaluation of RTI and
CECOs. For this purpose, the EUMB shall issue guidelines on the procedures for the
review and adoption of improvements and rules in the TRs: Provided, That the
guidelines shall only be issued after public consultation.

Section 18. Prohibited Acts and Imposition of Fines and Penalties. As provided
under Sections 11.1, 11.4, and 11.6 of DC No. DC2021-01-0001, after due process,
the DOE may impose fines and penalties under Section 12 of DC No. DC2021-01-
0001.

Section 19. Amendment Clause. The DOE may revise, supplement, and issue
related guidelines, circulars, and other subsidiary issuances as it deems necessary for
the effective implementation of this DC.

Section 20. Repealing Clause. All circulars, orders, or issuances inconsistent with
the provisions of this DC are hereby amended, modified, or superseded accordingly.

Section 21. Separability Clause. If for any reason, any section or provision of this
DC is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected shall remain in full
force and effect.

Section 22. Effectivity. This DC shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Copies of
this DC shall be filed with the Office of the National Administrative Registrar (ONAR),
UP Law Center, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Issued on AUG 19 2024 at the DOE, Energy Center, Rizal Drive corner 34"
Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

RAPHAEL P.M. LOTILLA
ecretary