ENERGY Secretary Sharon Garin on Wednesday urged stronger cooperation among Asean members to secure energy supplies, as global conflicts disrupt the system and strain household budgets.
Speaking at the Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting in Manila, Garin said the region needs mechanisms to coordinate quickly and support member countries when disruptions occur.“Supply chain disruptions thousands of kilometers away can reach our industries, our power systems, and eventually the household budgets of our people,” she said.While no country can fully shield itself from global events, Garin said closer cooperation would help Asean withstand shocks and draw more effectively on its own resources and capabilities.The region’s more than 700 million people, significant energy resources, growing economies and increasingly sophisticated energy markets provide a strong foundation for cooperation, she added, noting that member countries have different but complementary strengths.“In times of crisis, it should give every member state the assurance that its neighbors will be there,” Garin said. “That, to me, is at the heart of Asean energy security.”She said frameworks for energy resilience are taking shape, but progress will depend on how the bloc’s member nations translate them into concrete action.
