AGAINST the backdrop of a newly declared national energy emergency, The Manila Times Energy Forum 2026 convened on Thursday, bringing together representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) for the morning session. Representatives from the National Power Corp. (Napocor), National Transmission Corp. and Aboitiz Power joined the afternoon session.

With the theme “Addressing current energy challenges, building a secure and sustainable energy future,” the forum evolved into a “war room” of ideas as the country grappled with the escalating fallout from the Middle East conflict.