Pool of Experts | IRG-P - International Resources Group - IRG Philippines | Energy and Environmental Consulting Business | Manila, Philippines

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Pool of Experts

IRG Philippines draws on the knowledge and expertise of local and international consultants whom we tap on an as-needed basis. Some of our technical experts include:

GERMELINO ABITO, Senior Expert, Solar Photovoltaics and Village Electrification

Dr. Abito is a physicist with more than 20 years experience in the field of renewable energy, particularly solar photovoltaics. He spent fifteen years with the Energy Research and Development Center of the Philippine National Oil Company where he oversaw the implementation of several major renewable energy projects, including an off-grid rural electrification project involving seventeen villages (barangays) in PNOC project host regions, a microhydro project that involved the survey of more than twenty river systems, the European Union-funded Decentralized Energy Systems (DES) project, which provides loans and other technical and marketing support to entrepreneurs commercializing renewable energy and energy conservation technologies, and the Information Network on New and Renewable Energy Resources and Technologies for Asia and the Pacific (INNERTAP) Project, which involved the creation of a network of new and renewable energy exchange centers from various Asian countries. Dr. Abito was also involved in the setting up of a solar PV plant in Bulacan province under the Philippine-German Solar Energy Project. The project pioneered in the design and development of a centralized solar PV power plant for various applications such as household lighting in an unelectrified rural area in the Philippines. He was also involved in the development of a geothermal agro-industrial demonstration plant in Negros Oriental where the waste heat of the PNOC geothermal plant was used to run a drying plant for agricultural products. Dr. Abito also currently holds teaching positions at the Physics Departments of the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University. He obtained his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of the Philippines, and his MS and PhD in Solid State Physics from the University of Iowa.

DARRYL BABOR, Expert, Environmental Management

Mr. Babor is an experienced professional in the energy and environment field, having been employed by the Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC) for over 23 years, At PNOC's Environmental Management Division, he conducted Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), towards the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), for 9 major energy development projects including 4 geothermal and 5 coal projects. Mr. Babor also conducted and supervised periodic environmental compliance audits of all the operating energy projects of PNOC-EDC. At PNOC's Energy Research and Development Division (ERDD), he supervised the conduct of project feasibility and development studies for new and renewable energy (NRE) technologies as well as the conduct of environmental research related to emission reduction and waste management. Mr. Babor was also actively involved in resource assessment activities for new and renewable energy technologies for rural electrification applications in the Company's host provinces. Mr Babor has done short-term assignments in various projects funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Environment Center (WEC), Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan, as well as the Philippines' Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and local government units. Mr. Babor is a registered chemical engineer. He obtained his degree from the University of San Carlos and his Master of Engineering Degree in Natural Resources Development and Management from the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand.

DAVID BALLEZA, Expert, Solar Photovoltaics

Mr. Balleza has over 17 years experience in solar photovoltaics (PV) power supply systems project development. Since 1994, he has been involved in various technical assessments and project feasibility studies that provided the groundwork for the electrification by PV systems of unelectrified barangays in the Philippines. He has provided direct technical services to the Philippine Department of Energy as well as to a number of consulting groups as a solar expert in a number of studies. Most recent of these are with AED-Philippines' Pre-Investment Studies for Rural Off-Grid Electrification Projects funded by the World Bank and the Municipal Solar Infrastructure Project (MSIP) Case Study for BP Solutions. He has also engaged in the development and manufacture of quality, customized power-related electronic products. Mr Balleza has a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Western Institute of Technology in the Philippines.

ROBERT CHRONOWSKI, Senior Adviser, Biomass

An experienced Executive Manager, Program Manager, and Project Manager who has worked in more than 60 countries, Mr Chronowski has successfully led efforts in the structuring and implementation of bagasse Co-generation projects. He is a proven commercial project developer who has led teams that have defined and/or developed grid and off-grid supply projects for implementation in Pakistan, India, Indonesia, China, Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Uganda. In each instance these projects have been implemented in a setting of institutional and regulatory restructuring and privatization of the local energy sector. Mr. Chronowski has recently worked with the World Bank (IBRD, IDA, & IFC) as a power systems technical and business development advisor on major activities in China, India, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Brazil, Honduras, and Uganda. He has worked on all phases of Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects throughout the world, and is called on often to provide training and capacity building assistance in conventional and non-conventional energy policy development, energy contracting, energy technology application, project development, and project finance. Mr. Chronowski has a bachelor's degree in Marine Engineering from the US Merchant Marine Academy. He is currently based in Washington, DC.

ANDREO ESTRALLADO, Expert, Energy Finance

Andreo Estrellado carries with him nine (9) years of financial modeling and evaluation of power and energy projects. He was recently involved in the Pre-Investment Studies on Rural Off-Grid Electrification Project of the World Bank and the Philippine Department of Energy in which he developed the financial and economic models to determine the viability of the six identified market packages for rural electrification. He has also had experience in financial modeling and analysis of conventional projects, including a 30 MW natural gas power project, an 800 MW coal-fired power project, a 4-MW diesel power project. Mr. Estrallado has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the Mapua Institute of Technology and is a master's candidate in Business Administration at the Ateneo de Manila Business School.

JO ROWENA GARCIA, Senior Expert, Environmental Management

Ms. Garcia has over twenty years experience in Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) systems, environmental risk assessments, environmental compliance monitoring and audit, company environmental policies and institutional requirements. She has also conducted environmental appraisals of projects for compliance to environmental requirements of the government, lending institutions, bilateral agreements and international protocols, and identified institutional requirements for setting up environmental management units for both individual projects and companies. Ms. Garcia has also had extensive experience in the formulation of environmental and watershed management systems, programs and plans, including environmental monitoring and auditing systems, and the management of environmental and forestry permitting process, including other project-related permitting requirements, particularly in environmentally critical areas and for environmentally critical projects. She has done work in marine ecology impact assessment and management planning, and designed and supervised pollution control and ecological impact/toxicity studies in energy projects. Ms. Garcia's other areas of expertise include: water and air pollution control and management, toxic substances and hazardous waste management, and ecological solid waste management. In the course of carrying out her environmental management work, Ms. Garcia has also gained expertise in the formulation of community relations and development strategies and programs, as well as networking, social acceptability and conflict management/resolution. Ms. Garcia has a bachelor's degree in Marine Biology from the University of the Philippines.

ROBERTO PUNSALAN, Expert, Energy Finance

Mr. Punsalan has twenty-five (25) years experience in financial analysis. During his twenty years at the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), he was involved in financial analysis and coming up with short and long-term financial projections for PNOC Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and PNOC Coal Corporation (PCC), including benchmarking financial ratios for leading Philippine corporations. Now an independent consultant, he most recently performed financial diligence (2 detailed reports rendered) on the 1995-2001 financial statements, internal control considerations and cash flow prospects of Albay Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ALECO). Prior to working at PNOC, Mr Punsalan spent five years with accounting firm Sycip, Gorres and Velayo where he was responsible for guidance of audit teams in conducting field work in client premises with regard to annual audit of their FS, assistance in preparation of tax returns. Mr. Punsalan has a bachelor's degree in commerce, major in accounting, from the University of Santo Tomas.

MANUEL VERGEL III, Senior Expert, Hydropower

Mr. Vergel has over twenty-one (21) years experience primarily in the field of Mini to Small hydropower development with focus on lecturing on various trainings/ seminars and planning, feasibility studies, design engineering and supervision of construction and preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment of various projects all over the Philippines. Mr. Vergel III is the only consulting engineer in the Philippines, which has a majority track record in mini to small hydro since the early 1980's and is considered unofficially by many of his peers in the industry as the foremost authority on hydro in the country. Mr Vergel has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of the Philippines, and master's degrees in Engineering (Water Resources) and Environmental Planning, both from the University of the Philippines.

ISRAEL F. GUTAY, Solar Photovoltaics Expert

Mr. Gutay has over fourteen (14) years of experience in Photovoltaic (PV) systems and other renewable energy technologies. He designs, implements, supervises and troubleshoots solar PV projects for various applications such as household electrification using individual home systems or battery charging stations, telecommunication and communal systems such as pumps and street lights. He was involved in projects like the Isla Verde PV Power Mini-Centralized Power Plant, monitoring of installations of the Rural Photovoltaic Electrification (RPE) project, supervising the installation of systems in eleven (11) pilot project areas of the Municipal Solar Infrastructure Project (MSIP), and providing technical expertise in capacity building for the Palawan provincial government in the UNDP-funded “New and Renewable Energy and Livelihood Support Project. Mr. Gutay has participated in several trainings and lectures in various places all over the country where he has been a resource person sharing his expertise on PV technology. Mr. Gutay received a degree in Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology at the Sorsogon State College, Sorsogon City.

SILVERIO T. NAVARRO JR., RE Expert

Mr. Navarro has over ten (10) years of experience in the development, design and implementation of solar, wind, and hydro projects and their possible hybrids. He was involved in the conduct of various wind projects such as the Wind Monitoring, Evaluation and Pre-Feasibility Study of Potential Wind Sites in Negros Occidental (2001), Installation and performance evaluation of small wind-solar hybrid system in Iloilo City (93-94) and more recently, the Feasibility Study of Embedded Generation into VECO Grid Using Wind and Solar PV Systems (October 2003), Maximization of Renewable Energy Utilization in Panay-World Wildlife Fund, Green Independent Power Producer in Negros (GRIPP-Negros), Wind Energy Development Project and On-grid Renewable Energy Project Development within the Franchise Area of Visayan Electric Company. His expertise include Technical Skills Training Design, Evaluation of Renewable Energy Systems and Projects, Specialized Electronic Circuit Design and Prototyping using Micro Controllers, AutoCAD 3D modeling and RE Resources Assessment. Mr. Navarro holds the position of Project Engineer/Branch Manager of the Solar Electric Company, Inc., Iloilo City Branch. He is a Registered Electrical Engineer and a DOST scholar graduate of the Central Philippine University.

ARNOLD ELEPANO, Senior Biomass Expert

Mr. Elepano is a Ph. D in Mechanical Engineering from the Queen’s University in Ontario Canada. He has an M.S. degree in Energy Engineering from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, and a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. He is presently the Chairman of the Agricultural and Bio-Process Engineering Division of the Institute of Agricultural Engineering of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology of the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. Dr. Elepano has more than seven (7) years of experience in consulting services in various biomass-based projects mainly for thermal applications. He has worked in local, bilateral and international funded biomass projects aimed to establish the technical performance of systems, identify appropriate biomass technology for specific project conditions and improve technical performance of operating biomass fired-equipment.

MARISOL P. BACONG, Senior Expert, Environmental Management

Ms. Bacong is a Ph.D. in Energy Engineering, Master in Combustion Engineering and Pollution Control, M.S. in Environmental Engineering and B. S. graduate in Chemical Engineering from the Central Philippines University in Iloilo City. She carries with her more than twenty (20) years of experience in the field of Air Quality Management, Climate Change, Environmental Assessment, Environment Management, Energy Audit and Planning, Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy Resources, Combustion and Pollution Control, Risk Assessment and Waste Management. She has worked as a consultant for different local government agencies such as the National Power Corporation and the Department of Energy, bilateral and multilateral funders like the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and United Nations Institute for Training and Research in Geneva, Switzerland. She has likewise rendered professional services in her various areas of expertise for foreign projects that had been implemented in countries such as Vietnam, India and Hongkong. Ms. Portal is currently a Director of GEOSPHERE Technologies, Inc.

SOCORRO PATINDOL, Senior Expert, Environmental Management

Ms. Patindol is a candidate for Ph. D. in Environmental Science at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. She completed her M.S. Environmental Resource Management Degree in 1993 at the University of Dublin in Ireland, M.S. Environmental Studies at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos in 1992 and B.S. Human Ecology at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. She has more than 17 years of experience in participatory environmental impact assessment that involve the collection, review, and analysis of data to identify impacts, mitigation and environmental management program. Through the long years of experience, she has prepared appropriate participatory methods and approaches in community organizing; project conceptualization, designing, development and monitoring and environmental assessment and monitoring, among others. She has been involved in various projects either as project manager, coordinator, or specialist. She has conducted various surveys and studies in community development and environmental management projects employing participatory and gender sensitive approaches. For these, she has developed participatory survey and workshop systems, methods and training designs. She has generated socio-economic profiles for various island and coastal areas in the country. Likewise, she has served as a resource person in various topics such as community development frameworks, project development, conflict resolution and negotiation, environmental impact assessment and environmental monitoring. She has also served as a facilitator in different workshops and fora specifically designed for government agencies, non-government organizations, community/people's organizations and private sector. She is also adept in handling workshops involving a combination of these sectors. In managing training and workshops she has developed instructional media/materials to facilitate the training activities, enhance learning and attain the activities' objectives.

MA. LYRA S. ESTARIS, Senior Sociologist

Ms. Estaris has over 18 years of experience as a community development specialist, sociologist and field social researcher. She has been involved in various assignments in different capacities all over the country. Her most recent engagement was with IRG-P in the “Development of a Sustainability Framework for Rural Off-grid Electrification Projects” and "Development and Implementation of Monitoring and Evaluation Framework" for the AMORE Project of WINROCK International and USAID where she was involved in the assessment of social impacts of electrification projects in barangays in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Previously, she had been involved in different developmental projects of multilateral donors such as the World Bank, ADB, JBIC and served as Consultant to private industries and variousl government entities. She also served as a lecturer with rank of Assistant Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and instructor at the University of the Philippines. Ms. Estaris has a B.S. degree in Social Sciences major in Economics and Sociology from the University of the Philippines – Baguio (UP-Baguio) and an M.A. in Sociology from UP-Diliman.

PAUL VAN AALST, Senior Expert, Business Development

Mr. Van Aalst is a seasoned investment banker with 16 years of experience in providing professional advice in the financing of small and medium sized companies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He has an extensive network in venture capital and mezzanine financing. He specializes in business development and financing of renewable energy applications and rural electrification with focus on sustainable entrepreneurship and development of renewable energy business. He was responsible for the design and pre-implementation of a World Bank program to develop a sustainable business sector for off-grid rural electrification in Bangladesh, starting with a 60,000 Solar Home Systems program. He also designed and was responsible for the implementation of investment funds including a renewable energy seed capital fund in Peru for the Dutch Government, a fund for stock listed midcap renewable energy companies, and a venture capital pool for industrial investments to be revival spin-offs of large multinational companies. He developed a business model for financing of small-scale off-grid renewable energy projects under the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol mechanisms and presented the same at COP7 in Marrakech. He was involved in the assessment and preparation of private sector deal flow in the World Bank rural power off-grid electrification project in the Philippines. At present, he is the Chairman of the Dutch Export Group Photovoltaics (DEP), which is the task force of the Dutch solar energy industry to develop and implement business models for solar electricity in rural electrification with local partners. DEP focuses on knowledge transfer and capacity building for business models, including cash sales, rental or lease-to-own, fee-for-service and RESCOs. Mr. Van Aalst is a Certified Management Consultant and a member of the Dutch association of management consultants ICMCI (International Council of Management Consulting Institutes). He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the School of Business Economics in the Netherlands and his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Amsterdam.

HERBERT WADE, Senior Adviser, Solar Photovoltaics

Mr. Wade has over thirty (30) years experience in solar and renewable energy work with specific involvement in solar radiation research and instrumentation, solar thermal systems, passive solar home design and construction, solar greenhouse design and construction, and photovoltaic applications as well as design and implementation experience with micro-hydro systems. His pioneering work developing solar PV Energy Service Company (ESCO) institutions in the Pacific (Tuvalu Solar Electric Cooperative Society-1984 and the Kiribati Solar Energy Company-1989) has earned him an international reputation as an expert in designing sustainable institutional frameworks for PV based rural electrification. He has dobe extensive advisory work in the development of recent ESCO type village electrification pilot projects in Zimbabwe (JICA), Zambia (SIDA), Tanzania (CSC) and the Philippines (FINESSE). He has provided renewable energy policy design and project development advice to various countries in the Pacific Islands, South/Southeast Asia and Africa. He has a bachelor's degree in Engineering from the US Naval Academy, and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Rhode Island. He has been based in Bangkok, Thailand since 1993.

JEROME WEINGART, Senior Adviser, Alternative Energy and Rural Development

Dr. Weingart has over 30 years serving public- and private-sector clients in the areas of energy, environment, and international development. He has been instrumental in the development of renewable energy projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America for the US private sector, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the international development finance community, the World Bank, and the United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility (GEF). Dr Weingart obtained his bachelor's degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his masters and doctoral degrees in the same field from Brandeis University, Massachusetts. He is currently based in Arlington, Virginia.

IRG Philippines is also backed by a team of technical and management specialists from the Energy and Environmental Management Division of Washington-based International Resources Group, Ltd who have a wealth of international field experience in system engineering, project finance, financial and economic analysis, policy development, and environmental assessment. They have worked in all continents worldwide on conventional and alternative energy project development, energy planning, power contracting and pricing, greenhouse gas reduction and environmental management. They have also conducted considerable project work and built-up in-house expertise in emissions reduction projects through flexible mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol, such as Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Recent notable accomplishments in this field include the ADB Study of a Least-Cost Greenhouse Gas Abatement Strategy for Asia (ALGAS), wherein IRG worked with the Philippines and 11 other participating countries in preparing an inventory of man-made emissions and sinks of greenhouse gases, evaluating the costs and effectiveness of measures available to reduce GHG emissions or enhance sinks, and developing national action plan policy responses that will be required to implement the measures identified and the USAID Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Initiative (GGERI) project, which involved developing a regulatory and institutional framework for conducting a national early credit project program and concluding bilateral agreements for early credits, creating in-country capacity to evaluate potential early credit projects, marketing early credit project opportunities to potential investors, and building institutional capacity to track greenhouse gas credits. IRG's climate change mitigation experts have also conducted many capacity-building and institutional strengthening workshops for governments of various developing countries.