The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is urging energy companies to use sustainable finance instruments to attract global capital and support the country’s clean energy transition.
SEC chairman Francis Lim said the commission is actively promoting the use of green, social and sustainability-linked investment products among issuers in the energy sector, in a speech at the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) Energy Forum on Thursday.
“We want issuers to tap green, social, and sustainability investment products—because the world has trillions waiting for responsible investments,” Lim said at the forum, held at the SEC’s headquarters in Makati City
“If we don’t attract that capital, someone else will—probably Vietnam or Indonesia,” said Lim.
Lim said sustainable financing could be a powerful tool for energy companies to fund infrastructure, innovation, and renewable energy projects while appealing to a growing base of environmental, social and governance (ESG)-focused investors.
The SEC remains committed to building an enabling regulatory environment that supports the growth of responsible investment without compromising investor protection and market integrity, he said.
The push for sustainable finance is part of the SEC’s broader strategy to boost public participation in the capital markets and channel long-term funding into critical sectors such as energy.
“The SEC stands as your partner in financing the energy transition, supporting innovations in the energy sector, and building a resilient energy future for our nation,” Lim said.
The SEC is also urging energy firms to conduct initial public offerings (IPOs) to raise funds for their projects.
To support this goal, the SEC launched SEC POWERS last year, a program that streamlines capital-raising for energy firms. The commission also cut the cost of SEC documents by 50 percent, making it cheaper for companies to prepare for public offerings.
The SEC said it aligned its public offering rules with the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and eased float requirements.
“Our goal is clear: more listings, more investors, more public ownership in companies that literally keep the lights on,” Lim said.
