PEMC pushes inclusion of WESM mechanics in school curriculum

MANILA, Philippines - The operator of the electricity spot market is teaming up with the Department of Education (DepEd) and tertiary level institutions in an information drive to better understand the electricity market and attract competent staff to improve its operations.

The Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC) has launched a new project in coordination with the DepEd to look into the incorporation of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) in the high school curriculum, PEMC president Melinda Ocampo said during the ninth WESM Annual Participants meeting Thursday.

“To formalize the undertaking, PEMC will execute a memorandum of agreement with the DepEd,” she said.

PEMC operates the WESM, the country’s trading floor for electricity.

In an interview, Ocampo said putting up a WESM Academy in educational institutions has always been in PEMC’s pipeline for the public to better understand the electricity market.

She explained that the partnership with DepEd will initially involve science high schools in Metro Manila.

The WESM operator has started talks with two science high schools, the Quezon City Science High School and the Manila Science High School.

“When we presented WESM 101 to teachers, they identified with us. They said they can incorporate this as part of the curriculum of economics, technical engineering,” Ocampo said.

PEMC will also be partnering with various colleges and universities to extend the information drive to tertiary students studying economics and allied engineering courses.

To tap the tertiary level, PEMC is planning a campus road show in big universities like Mapúa Institute of Technology and the University of Santo Tomas, said Robinson Descanzo, PEMC vice president for corporate planning and communications department.

“PEMC also has current coordination with IIEE (Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines) and we have scheduled roundtable presentation with the  National Academy of Science and Technology,” he added.