Green innovators shine at first SSX pitch

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 4, 2026 | Business

Eco-conscious start-ups are proving that the future of business is green. A dynamic group of food and non-food innovators emerged as finalists in “Future Proof: The Green Innovation Pitch”—the first-ever start-up pitching competition under the Sustainability Solutions Exchange (SSX) at the recently concluded IFEX Philippines 2026.

Eco-conscious start-ups are proving that the future of business is green. A dynamic group of food and non-food innovators emerged as finalists in “Future Proof: The Green Innovation Pitch”—the first-ever start-up pitching competition under the Sustainability Solutions Exchange (SSX) at the recently concluded IFEX Philippines 2026.

The following start-up leaders delivered the most persuasive pitches of the contest’s semi-final stage:

●     Arlyn Jubilee Kalsim of GNS Enterprises, a start-up with sustainable programs transforming waste into valuable, customized products

●     Glenda Esperidal of Green Beauty and Wellness, a social enterprise promoting natural health and beauty

●     Czar Carbonael of Magwai, a producer of reef-safe sunscreen

●     Wilma Alvester of FLQ Foods and Panciteria, producer of cassava powder, cassava polvoron, and cassava crunchies, works with community farmers to ensure a sustainable future for cassava production

●     Mark Sultan Gersava of D’ Sustainable Planet, a social enterprise using bamboo and technology to provide eco-friendly solutions.

Carziqo Launches ER-MX Driverless Ride-Hailing Operations in Phoenix

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 3, 2026 | Business

PHOENIX, Arizona — Autonomous mobility technology company Carziqo has announced the launch of its ER-MX driverless ride-hailing operations in Phoenix, marking another step in the company’s expansion across the United States.

The deployment introduces Carziqo’s ER-MX autonomous vehicle series to the Phoenix metropolitan area, where the vehicles will support the company’s technology-driven ride-hailing and intelligent fleet operations.

Phoenix has emerged as an important testing and deployment center for autonomous transportation. The city already hosts large-scale driverless mobility services, while Arizona requires companies operating autonomous vehicles on public roads to comply with federal requirements, state traffic laws, and policies established by the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Carziqo said its Phoenix operation will prioritize vehicle safety, fleet reliability, real-time operational monitoring, and a consistent passenger experience. The company is expected to adopt a measured expansion strategy, using operational data and local travel patterns to guide future fleet deployment.

Entering a mature autonomous mobility market

The decision to deploy the ER-MX series in Phoenix places Carziqo in a market where residents, businesses, transportation authorities, and other road users already have experience interacting with autonomous vehicles.

Phoenix has also incorporated Vision Zero objectives into its Road Safety Action Plan, reflecting the city’s broader focus on safer streets, transportation planning, and the responsible integration of new mobility technologies.

For autonomous mobility companies, the city presents both an opportunity and a demanding operational environment. Driverless vehicles must navigate urban intersections, residential areas, commercial districts, changing traffic conditions, cyclists, pedestrians, emergency vehicles, and periods of extreme heat.

These conditions will provide Carziqo with an opportunity to evaluate the operational performance of the ER-MX platform in a major American metropolitan area.

“Phoenix represents an important milestone in Carziqo’s development as an autonomous mobility company,” Carziqo CEO Zaydenn Harrington said in announcing the expansion.

“This market combines real transportation demand with an established understanding of autonomous vehicle services. Our objective is not simply to place vehicles on the road, but to build a reliable operating system capable of delivering safe, efficient, and scalable mobility.”

Harrington said the company intends to take a long-term approach to the market, with particular attention given to operational discipline and public confidence.

“Autonomous mobility must earn trust through consistent performance,” he said. “That requires responsible deployment, transparent operating standards, continuous monitoring, and the ability to respond effectively to real-world conditions.”

ER-MX designed for autonomous ride-hailing

Carziqo developed the ER-MX series for driverless ride-hailing and centrally managed fleet operations.

Rather than treating each vehicle as an isolated transportation unit, the company’s operating model connects vehicles to a broader fleet-management system. This allows vehicle availability, trip demand, operational status, and fleet utilization to be managed through a coordinated platform.

According to Carziqo, this structure is intended to improve order allocation, reduce unnecessary vehicle downtime, and position available vehicles closer to areas of anticipated passenger demand.

Real-time monitoring is also expected to play a central role in the Phoenix deployment. Autonomous vehicles may encounter unusual road conditions that require operational review, including temporary construction zones, blocked lanes, traffic-control changes, emergency activity, or unexpected passenger requests.

Carziqo said its operational framework is designed to combine autonomous driving capability with centralized fleet supervision and incident-response procedures.

The company added that vehicle performance and operating data from Phoenix will be used to improve dispatching, route planning, energy management, and service reliability.

Safety and regulatory compliance remain central

The commercial expansion of driverless ride-hailing has brought increased attention to safety reporting, regulatory accountability, emergency-response coordination, and the ability of autonomous systems to handle unpredictable traffic situations.

Arizona permits autonomous vehicles to operate on public roads, but operators remain subject to applicable federal and state requirements.

Carziqo said its Phoenix operation will be carried out in accordance with applicable transportation and vehicle regulations. The company also emphasized that expansion decisions will be based on operational readiness rather than fleet growth alone.

Industry observers have increasingly argued that the long-term success of autonomous ride-hailing will depend not only on driving technology, but also on how effectively companies manage vehicle maintenance, remote assistance, charging, passenger support, insurance, local coordination, and emergency procedures.

For Carziqo, Phoenix will serve as an operational test of how these individual components can function as a single mobility network.

Potential benefits for urban transportation

Driverless ride-hailing services are being developed as a potential complement to conventional taxis, private vehicles, and public transportation.

When deployed effectively, autonomous fleets may provide additional transportation options for people who cannot drive, reduce dependence on privately owned vehicles, and extend mobility services beyond the operating schedules of traditional transportation providers.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has previously described autonomous vehicle access as part of the region’s evolving transportation system, demonstrating how driverless services may eventually support connections between airports, business districts, residential communities, and other high-demand destinations.

However, the broader public value of autonomous ride-hailing will depend on affordability, accessibility, service coverage, safety performance, and the ability of operators to work effectively with local communities.

Carziqo said it will evaluate passenger demand and operating performance before determining the next phase of its Phoenix deployment.

A strategic step in Carziqo’s US expansion

The Phoenix launch forms part of Carziqo’s broader effort to establish an autonomous mobility network in major US markets.

The company describes its strategy as a combination of autonomous driving technology, intelligent dispatching, connected fleet management, and localized operations. Instead of relying solely on vehicle production, Carziqo is seeking to build a platform capable of managing the full operating cycle of driverless mobility services.

Harrington said Phoenix will play an important role in that strategy.

“The future of mobility will not be defined by autonomous vehicles alone,” he said. “It will be defined by how intelligently those vehicles are operated, how responsibly services are expanded, and how effectively technology responds to the needs of passengers and cities.”

As autonomous ride-hailing competition intensifies, Carziqo’s entry into Phoenix will test whether the ER-MX platform can establish a reliable position in one of the most closely watched driverless transportation markets in the world.

The company said additional information regarding service access, operating coverage, and fleet expansion will be released as the Phoenix operation progresses.

ALECO privatization should be last resort, not first option

by Ferry Bayu | Aug 3, 2026 | Business

The Albay Electric Cooperative is once again at the center of a high-stakes debate about its future. Albay Governor Noel Rosal has raised the alarm over ALECO’s reported debt burden, reportedly reaching P5.7 billion, and has opened the door to privatization as the definitive answer to the province’s lingering energy crisis. The proposal deserves serious scrutiny. So does the history behind it.

By Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE)

Albay has been here before.

A struggling electric cooperative. Mounting debts. Frustrated consumers enduring daily brownouts. Officials pointing to private sector participation as the only way out. And the public left wondering whether this time will be different.

PARE is cautioning that it may not be different now.

The Albay Electric Cooperative is once again at the center of a high-stakes debate about its future. Albay Governor Noel Rosal has raised the alarm over ALECO’s reported debt burden, reportedly reaching P5.7 billion, and has opened the door to privatization as the definitive answer to the province’s lingering energy crisis. The proposal deserves serious scrutiny. So does the history behind it.

“The question before the people of Albay is not simply who will run their electric cooperative. The deeper question is whether Albayanos will once again be asked to pay for a crisis they did not create,” PARE said.

History Already Answered This Question

In 2014, ALECO entered into a concession agreement with the Albay Power and Energy Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation. The transition to private management was backed by Albay’s top officials and sold to the public as the solution to the cooperative’s chronic problems.

Eight years later, ALECO’s Member-Consumer-Owners voted unanimously to terminate that agreement.

Under APEC, system losses reportedly ballooned to an all-time high of 40 percent. Collection efficiency collapsed to below 50 percent. Electricity rates reached P18 per kilowatt-hour. Debts continued to grow despite the promise that private management would resolve them. NEA audit findings confirmed that APEC had failed to satisfy the majority of its major requirements and deliverables under the concession agreement.

When NEA assumed management control in late 2022, consumers’ bills reportedly dropped from P18 to P13 per kilowatt-hour almost immediately.

This is not ancient history. This is the last chapter.

“Privatization did not solve the problem the first time. Consumers were the ones who paid the price. Before anyone rushes to that conclusion again, every available reform measure must first be exhausted,” PARE said.

P1.2 Billion in Public Money Is Already at Work

What makes the current privatization push particularly troubling is its timing.

The national government, through the initiative of Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr., has committed over P1.2 billion to rebuild ALECO’s infrastructure from the ground up. The Salvacion Substation was energized in May 2025, boosting demand capacity and stabilizing voltage for consumers in Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, and San Miguel Island. Two additional substations in Daraga and Ligao are targeted for completion by August 2026. An additional P800 million in line enhancements and new substations is rolling out across Legazpi City and the entire province this year.

Congressman Garbin has raised a critical point that consumers deserve to hear. Private entities are reportedly expressing interest in ALECO precisely because the national government has already absorbed the enormous upfront cost of building new infrastructure. Privatizing now would hand a taxpayer-funded asset to a corporation without any binding guarantee that old debts will be absorbed rather than quietly passed on to consumers through higher electricity rates.

“This is a shared accountability issue. The rehabilitation program is funded by the Filipino people. If privatization proceeds before this program is completed and independently assessed, consumers deserve to know who benefits and who pays,” PARE said.

ALECO General Manager Engr. Wilfredo Bucsit has also reported that under current management, the cooperative has already paid down more than P129 million of its total obligations. The brownouts consumers experience today are reportedly tied to ongoing construction work that cannot safely be performed on live lines. These are facts that deserve honest public communication.

The Right Question Is Governance, Not Ownership

ALECO’s crisis did not emerge overnight. It accumulated over many years through governance failures, management decisions, regulatory interventions, and inadequate oversight from NEA, DOE, and ERC. Accountability for the cooperative’s condition does not rest with one institution alone. It extends to every body that exercised authority over its operations.

This is precisely why privatization is not a shortcut to accountability. It is often an escape from it.

“The more urgent question is not who will own ALECO but how it will be governed. Rehabilitation must strengthen cooperative governance, restore financial discipline, promote transparency, and ensure meaningful participation by Member-Consumer-Owners and stakeholders,” PARE said.

Privatization does not automatically erase debt. It does not restore democratic governance. And as Albay’s own experience has demonstrated, it does not guarantee better public service.

Exhaust Every Remedy First

Before privatization is placed on the table, PARE calls on DOE, NEA, ERC, and Congress to complete and independently assess the rehabilitation program, implement genuine governance reforms, strengthen consumer participation, and ensure full transparency at every stage.

If after all these measures are genuinely exhausted the cooperative still cannot deliver for Albayanos, then broader options may be considered. But consumers must be at the center of that decision. Not corporations. Not politicians. Consumers.

ALECO belongs to the people of Albay. Its future must serve them.

“Consumers pay for every inefficiency, every outage, and every pass-on charge in the system. They deserve accountability, transparency, and a meaningful voice in shaping the future of the institution that rightfully belongs to them,” PARE said.

Rehabilitation with accountability and genuine consumer participation is the path forward. Privatization must be the last resort. Not the first instinct.

Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) is a national, independent consumer coalition advocating for affordable electricity, reliable service, energy justice, and meaningful consumer participation in the Philippine energy sector.

Nic Satur Jr************************@***il.com

The Electric Cooperative Reform the Philippines Can No Longer Ignore By Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE)

On July 6, 2026, the people of Palawan did not wait for a congressional hearing or a regulatory investigation. They went outside and made themselves heard.

Member-Consumer-Owners of the Palawan Electric Cooperative gathered in front of PALECO’s offices to deliver a message that no performance scorecard had managed to capture. They were not asking for the impossible. They were asking for what every Filipino household deserves: electricity that is affordable, reliable, and built to last.

It was a peaceful rally. But behind it was years of accumulated frustration.

Triple-A on Paper. Brownouts at Home.

In May 2026, PALECO achieved the highest performance rating for electric cooperatives in the country. Based on NEA’s 2025 Annual Overall Performance Assessment, the cooperative was awarded an AAA distinction, scoring 97 percent. The cooperative’s management celebrated. The mood in El Nido, Puerto Princesa, and Narra was considerably different.

John, a small business owner in Puerto Princesa, put it plainly. “We are paying premium rates. What we are not getting is premium service. The lights go out in the morning, come back, then go out again by afternoon. That is not Triple-A. That is triple the frustration.”

According to MCO Tony Cabrestante a phrase now quietly circulating among PALECO’s Member-Consumer-Owners. AAA, some consumers now say with a tired laugh, no longer stands for excellent performance. It stands for “Araw-Araw, Ara Kuryente.” Every day, no electricity.

The joke draws a knowing smile. The reality behind it deserves a serious response.

Lisa, a small transient house owner in El Nido who depends on steady electricity to serve the tourists visiting one of the country’s most celebrated destinations, shared her frustration quietly. “Guests are patient. I try to be patient. But after years of the same thing, patience runs thin. The lights should not be going out this often in a place like this.”

What the Rating System Is Not Measuring

Nic Satur Jr., chief advocate officer of PARE, said the gap between PALECO’s AAA classification and the daily experience of its consumers points to a deeper flaw in how electric cooperative performance is currently evaluated.

“Consumers are not looking at scorecards. They are looking at their electric fans, their refrigerators, their children doing homework at night. The rating system must be reformed to reflect what consumers actually experience, not just what institutions report about themselves,” Satur said.

He added that questions have been raised about the credibility of a rating system where the same agency overseeing an intervention also evaluates its results. Those questions deserve transparent, public answers from NEA.

PARE has formally urged NEA to incorporate direct consumer feedback into its evaluation framework, including customer satisfaction data, complaint resolution rates, and power restoration performance during calamities and emergency situations.

“The ultimate measure of performance is a simple question every member-consumer-owner asks every morning: will the lights stay on today? Until that question has a reliable answer, a Triple-A rating is not a milestone. It is a gap that needs to be explained,” Satur said.

PALECO Is Not an Isolated Case

The frustration in Palawan is real. But it is not unique. Across the country, consumers in cooperative franchise areas are living versions of the same story.

In Catanduanes, the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, or FICELCO, has been managing a power supply crisis that pushed daily brownouts to as many as eight hours for its over 62,000 Member-Consumer-Owners earlier this year. A combination of generator failures, unsettled subsidy obligations involving its power supplier, and a stalled competitive selection process for a new supplier left consumers on an island with no reliable timeline for relief.

In Albay, the struggles of the Albay Electric Cooperative, or ALECO, have become a flashpoint for a national debate on whether struggling cooperatives should be reformed or privatized. A P1.2 billion government rehabilitation program is currently underway, yet the specter of premature privatization continues to hang over a cooperative still finding its footing.

In Batangas, consumers of the Batangas Electric Cooperative, or BATELEC, have been enduring recurring outages that prompted a provincial government intervention and a public debate about private sector participation. A recent survey found that an overwhelming majority of consumers in the area experienced multiple outages per month.

In Zamboanga, the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, or ZAMCELCO, has faced its own rotational brownout episodes driven by supply and infrastructure challenges. In the Visayas, BISELCO consumers have similarly raised concerns that the service they receive does not match what they pay for every month.

“PALECO is one face of a national problem. Consumers from Catanduanes to Zamboanga are asking the same questions, enduring the same disruptions, and paying rates that do not reflect the service they actually receive,” Satur said.

“This is not a cooperative-by-cooperative issue. This is a systemic failure in governance, oversight, regulation, and accountability that demands a national response.”

What Consumers Are Asking For

The MCOs who gathered in front of PALECO on July 6 were not demanding the extraordinary. They were asking for the basic.

Affordable rates that reflect prudent and efficient management. Reliable service that does not interrupt livelihoods, education, and community life. Transparent governance that places Member-Consumer-Owners at the center of every major decision. And accountability from PALECO, FICELCO, ALECO, BATELEC, ZAMCELCO, BISELCO, and every cooperative in between, as well as from NEA, DOE, and ERC, for the state of the service consumers are paying for every single month.

“Consumers fund the entire system. They deserve a system that works for them, not one that works around them. That is the reform PARE is calling for. Not just in Palawan. Nationwide,” Satur said.

The lights should not be going out this often. Not in Palawan. Not in Catanduanes. Not anywhere in this country.

That is not too much to ask.

Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) is a national, independent consumer coalition advocating for affordable electricity, reliable service, energy justice, and meaningful consumer participation in the Philippine energy sector.

Nic Satur Jr************************@***il.com

About Partners for Affordable & Reliable Energy
Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) is a national, independent consumer coalition advocating for affordable electricity, reliable service, energy justice, and meaningful consumer participation in the Philippine energy sector.

The Electric Cooperative Reform the Philippines Can No Longer Ignore

by Ferry Bayu | Jul 31, 2026 | Business

In Catanduanes, the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, or FICELCO, has been managing a power supply crisis that pushed daily brownouts to as many as eight hours for its over 62,000 Member-Consumer-Owners earlier this year.

A combination of generator failures, unsettled subsidy obligations involving its power supplier, and a stalled competitive selection process for a new supplier left consumers on an island with no reliable timeline for relief.

In Albay, the struggles of the Albay Electric Cooperative, or ALECO, have become a flashpoint for a national debate on whether struggling cooperatives should be reformed or privatized. A P1.2 billion government rehabilitation program is currently underway, yet the specter of premature privatization continues to hang over a cooperative still finding its footing.

Last July 6, 2026, the people of Palawan did not wait for a congressional hearing or a regulatory investigation. They went outside and made themselves heard.

Member-Consumer-Owners of the Palawan Electric Cooperative gathered in front of PALECO’s offices to deliver a message that no performance scorecard had managed to capture. They were not asking for the impossible. They were asking for what every Filipino household deserves: electricity that is affordable, reliable, and built to last.

It was a peaceful rally. But behind it was years of accumulated frustration.

Triple-A on Paper. Brownouts at Home.

In May 2026, PALECO achieved the highest performance rating for electric cooperatives in the country. Based on NEA’s 2025 Annual Overall Performance Assessment, the cooperative was awarded an AAA distinction, scoring 97 percent. The cooperative’s management celebrated. The mood in El Nido, Puerto Princesa, and Narra was considerably different.

John, a small business owner in Puerto Princesa, put it plainly. “We are paying premium rates. What we are not getting is premium service. The lights go out in the morning, come back, then go out again by afternoon. That is not Triple-A. That is triple the frustration.”

According to MCO Tony Cabrestante a phrase now quietly circulating among PALECO’s Member-Consumer-Owners. AAA, some consumers now say with a tired laugh, no longer stands for excellent performance. It stands for “Araw-Araw, Ara Kuryente.” Every day, no electricity.

The joke draws a knowing smile. The reality behind it deserves a serious response.

Lisa, a small transient house owner in El Nido who depends on steady electricity to serve the tourists visiting one of the country’s most celebrated destinations, shared her frustration quietly. “Guests are patient. I try to be patient. But after years of the same thing, patience runs thin. The lights should not be going out this often in a place like this.”

What the Rating System Is Not Measuring

Nic Satur Jr., chief advocate officer of PARE, said the gap between PALECO’s AAA classification and the daily experience of its consumers points to a deeper flaw in how electric cooperative performance is currently evaluated.

“Consumers are not looking at scorecards. They are looking at their electric fans, their refrigerators, their children doing homework at night. The rating system must be reformed to reflect what consumers actually experience, not just what institutions report about themselves,” Satur said.

He added that questions have been raised about the credibility of a rating system where the same agency overseeing an intervention also evaluates its results. Those questions deserve transparent, public answers from NEA.

PARE has formally urged NEA to incorporate direct consumer feedback into its evaluation framework, including customer satisfaction data, complaint resolution rates, and power restoration performance during calamities and emergency situations.

“The ultimate measure of performance is a simple question every member-consumer-owner asks every morning: will the lights stay on today? Until that question has a reliable answer, a Triple-A rating is not a milestone. It is a gap that needs to be explained,” Satur said.

PALECO Is Not an Isolated Case

The frustration in Palawan is real. But it is not unique. Across the country, consumers in cooperative franchise areas are living versions of the same story.

In Catanduanes, the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, or FICELCO, has been managing a power supply crisis that pushed daily brownouts to as many as eight hours for its over 62,000 Member-Consumer-Owners earlier this year. A combination of generator failures, unsettled subsidy obligations involving its power supplier, and a stalled competitive selection process for a new supplier left consumers on an island with no reliable timeline for relief.

In Albay, the struggles of the Albay Electric Cooperative, or ALECO, have become a flashpoint for a national debate on whether struggling cooperatives should be reformed or privatized. A P1.2 billion government rehabilitation program is currently underway, yet the specter of premature privatization continues to hang over a cooperative still finding its footing.

In Batangas, consumers of the Batangas Electric Cooperative, or BATELEC, have been enduring recurring outages that prompted a provincial government intervention and a public debate about private sector participation. A recent survey found that an overwhelming majority of consumers in the area experienced multiple outages per month.

In Zamboanga, the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative, or ZAMCELCO, has faced its own rotational brownout episodes driven by supply and infrastructure challenges. In the Visayas, BISELCO consumers have similarly raised concerns that the service they receive does not match what they pay for every month.

“PALECO is one face of a national problem. Consumers from Catanduanes to Zamboanga are asking the same questions, enduring the same disruptions, and paying rates that do not reflect the service they actually receive,” Satur said.

“This is not a cooperative-by-cooperative issue. This is a systemic failure in governance, oversight, regulation, and accountability that demands a national response.”

What Consumers Are Asking For

The MCOs who gathered in front of PALECO on July 6 were not demanding the extraordinary. They were asking for the basic.

Affordable rates that reflect prudent and efficient management. Reliable service that does not interrupt livelihoods, education, and community life. Transparent governance that places Member-Consumer-Owners at the center of every major decision. And accountability from PALECO, FICELCO, ALECO, BATELEC, ZAMCELCO, BISELCO, and every cooperative in between, as well as from NEA, DOE, and ERC, for the state of the service consumers are paying for every single month.

“Consumers fund the entire system. They deserve a system that works for them, not one that works around them. That is the reform PARE is calling for. Not just in Palawan. Nationwide,” Satur said.

The lights should not be going out this often. Not in Palawan. Not in Catanduanes. Not anywhere in this country.

That is not too much to ask.