Delegates of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) participant-countries on Thursday arrived in Bohol for a series of meetings including an energy forum which will be held in Panglao from Monday to Thursday next week.

Capitol special events coordinator Liza Flores told DYRD Balita that around 120 local and foreign forum participants from Asian countries have arrived in Bohol ahead of the conference.

The four-day event will be held at the BE Grand Resort, said Flores.

It will include the ACD Energy Working Group Meeting and the 1st East Asia Energy Forum.

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), the forum will tackle energy issues particularly the ACD Energy Action Plan.

“The conference aims to promote information exchange and sharing of best practices on energy policies, plans and programs among ACD Member States,” said the DOE in a statement.

It is also expected to drive investments in “1) Renewable Energy and Clean Energy; 2) Natural Gas as Transition Fuel; 3) Low Carbon Future Thru Clean Energy Technologies; 4) Emerging Role of Nuclear Energy, and 5) Energy Connectivity and Market Integration,” the DOE added.

For his part, DOE Undersecretary Wimpy Fuentebella said that Bohol’s resiliency in times of calamity such as the power crisis was among reasons why it was chosen as the host province.

The forum will be held in Panglao after an earthquake struck Leyte in July damaging Bohol’s power sources and leaving the Central Visayas province scrambling for electricity supply.

Meanwhile, officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and  Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are also expected to attend the ACD energy discussions.

ACD member-countries include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Philippines. (RT)