Honorable Secretary Sharon Garin, distinguished partners and guests, colleagues at First Gen-EDC and the FPH Group good evening.
Fifty years is a significant milestone for any organization. Tonight, we celebrate five decades of geothermal excellence. We also honor our unwavering commitment to a decarbonized and regenerative future through clean and renewable energy.
In 1976, geothermal development was a bold, aggressive commitment by the Philippine government to lessen our country's extreme dependence on imported oil and to become energy self-reliant by harnessing our indigenous energy sources. There is no doubt that First Gen-EDC has established its leadership and track record in geothermal energy since then. Yet, as we celebrate half a century of geothermal excellence, we also recognize that our planet is in dire need of rescue from the devastating impacts of climate change. We've witnessed first-hand its unprecedented fury as Typhoon Yolanda hit our geothermal plants in Leyte back in 2013. That moment changed us, not only as a business, but as a people with a responsibility for future generations.
Today, we have made another bold, aggressive commitment to address the climate crisis. The Philippines is blessed with one of the most powerful solutions beneath our feet geothermal energy. There is perhaps no technology better suited for our country than this. Its moment has come if we seize it with urgency and vision. Among all renewable energy sources, geothermal remains rare and invaluable: steady, reliable, and available 24/7. The path to Net Zero will require a massive expansion of clean and renewable energy, at a scale the world has never seen before. I've always believed that no one else in the world can revolutionize geothermal energy more than First Gen-EDC has for the past 50 years and will continue to do in the next 50.
To our stakeholders, thank you for the trust and support you have given us through the years. We are glad to share this journey with all of you, and to the entire First Gen-EDC team, congratulations!
