Google Calendar: A User's Introduction

For this post, I will not talk about Philippine energy. I will briefly introduce Google Calendar, with the hope that you (I hope you understand who you are) will use it to increase productivity and collaboration.

Google Calendar is (obviously) Google's take on calendar and task management. As far as I remember, Yahoo! has calendar also in their Yahoo! Mail, but it was not as integrated to their other products, and did not have a lot of collaborative functionalities (why does Google say that 'functionalities' is incorrectly spelled?) that Google Calendar introduced.

Google Calendar is a simple take and presentation on how we see dates vis-a-vis tasks, activities, sharing and communication. If you have a Gmail account, just look up, at the gray ribbon of Google services available, and you will see Calendar on the right-middle part. Click it, and that's almost it. (You will probably need to agree to the terms of services.)

There are a number of features in Google Calendar that I like, such as:

1. Sharing of Calendar - By sharing calendar, this means you share one of your calendars. As people, we have different aspects of our lives. For example, we live as an employee, a part of a circle of friends, and member of a volunteer organization. For each of these circles, we can have a calendar, which we can share. And there are many ways of sharing: Allow certain people to see your calendar, edit existing appointments, create new ones, or manage the calendar, which means they can re-share your calendar to those who need access to your schedule. Of course, there is also the option of making your calendar public. When another user adds an appointment in your shared calendar, you get notified (via email or SMS, to be discussed next).
2. Mobile Notifications - For me, I configured my Google Calendar to send me SMS to remind of in advance of my schedules  (many times for each event/schedule). This is, of course, in addition to notifications via the email. As discussed in the previous number, you also get be notified if a shared calendar is changed (someone requested an appointment or added a schedule, or edited an existing appointment, among others)
3. Integration with other Google services - If you use Google Sites, for example, for managing a project or a team dashboard, you can (and I did) integrate the Google Calendar gadget so that it displays your calendar there. If your Google Sites is login-based, it would display your own Google Calendar.

Google Calendar is a very useful productivity tool that I hope you would use to increase productivity (of course) and enhance collaboration in shared activities.

For more information on how to do the things I listed here, you can go to the Google Calendar Help site https://support.google.com/calendar/?hl=en

No, I am not a Google advertiser or stockholder. Just a Google Fan. :D

I may update this as soon as I have the time and realize its other exciting features.

Philippine Power Sector: Generation

In my previous post, I discussed in general how we get access to electricity. In this post, we will look more closely into the generation sub-sector, one of the three (now four, under Retail Competition and Open Access regime, which we will discuss in a later post) entity types in our electric power industry.

A general schematic of power generation, transmission and distribution, in the United States, which is generally similar to the Philippine system. Image source: Wikipedia

As previously stated, the generation sub-sector is mainly the group of companies and GOCCs which own electricity-generating assets. Under this sub-sector, entities can be classified by ownership as follows:

1. Government-owned and controlled corporation assets (PSALM-owned but National Power Corporation, or NPC-operated)
2. NPC-contracted Independent Power Producers (also now PSALM-owned)
3. Private generation companies

Initially, power generation was market-driven (For example, MERALCO owned power generation assets in 1905.). Private investments focused mostly on where investor's return was guaranteed, which was mostly in urban areas. Power generation sub-sector development was refocused following the State's realization of their need to lead the development and make electricity available to all. This led to the government takeover of all generation assets (through negotiation and compensation), which gave the NPC its assets prior to 2001.

With NPC as the sole generation provider in 1972 (as declared by Presidential Decree 40, which also nationalized MERALCO), the government took on the risks of the import-dependent power generation sub-sector, while trying to maintain a low price of power for the consumers.

With the power crisis under Pres. Cory Aquino, the government passed RA 6957 ("An Act Authorizing the Financing, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Infrastructure Projects by the Private Sector, and for Other Purposes"), giving the President the authority to enter into contracts with independent producers. In a gist, the arrangement is that investors (called independent power producers, or IPP) will build and operate power generation assets for a certain amount of time, during which they are guaranteed earnings, and then the assets will then be turned over (ownership-wise) to the government. These assets, at this time called NPC-IPP contracted facilities, (or NPC-IPPs) are still owned by the government, but may still have working contracting arrangements. Examples of this are Casecnan Multipurpose Hydro and Benguet Mini Hydro (contract for bidding as of 2012).

In this arrangement, NPC-IPPs build and operate the power plant, sell (in a way) the power to NPC, which then sell the power to consumers.

(Under EPIRA, these NPC-IPPs are also to be privatized.)

The third type is mostly private investment generation facilities which were built after the passing of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (or EPIRA), which made power a market for interested investors to compete in. Unlike previous arrangement, which is that the government guarantees return of investment to the IPPs, independent investments under EPIRA treat power facility investments as usual market investment with risks, and the government provides no guarantees (although the government provides some technical assistance in terms of commerciality of energy investments, particularly in renewable energy).

The above typologies refer to major and grid-connected power generators. There are also other generation facilities (mostly hydroelectric plants) which are not connected to the main power grids (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao), and they are called SPUG-areas (Small Power Utility Group, which refers to the wholly-owned subsidiary of the NPC).

Getting into the power generation sub-sector: Official Policy and Processes

Currently, under EPIRA, the government recognizes power generation as a business with public interest. As such, while private capital is encouraged, the government enforces public interests through regulation of the market, as well as technical requirements for incoming and existing players, among others.

Regulation

The government exercises regulation in the whole electricity industry (generation, transmission, distribution, and the new entity, supply) through the Energy Regulatory Commmission, or the ERC.

The ERC is an independent commission where various interests are considered in coming up with decisions pertaining to the energy and power sector. Its main functions are to promote competition, encourage market development, ensure customer choice and penalize abuse of markt power in the restructured electricity industry.

Technical Requirements for Incoming and Existing Players

As a business with public interest, the government requires from generation companies many technical specifications and proofs of their capability to generate electricity continuously. As such, the government requires proof of generally two things: 1) technical expertise in operating a power plant; and 2) the capability to manage risks as they are independent entities which the government assumes no risks in case of financial failure (in business or risk management lingo, "default").

The first part of entering into the power generation business is getting a certificate of endorsement from DOE (if the power plant will utilize a traditional fuel, such as oil and coal). If the power plant is renewable energy-driven, they must also get certificate of commerciality, another certificate which, in a gist, says that based on technical specifications of the plant and the renewable energy available in the area, the company can earn.

(Availability here refers not only if there is available renewable energy, but on the frequency of its availability. For example, there can be strong winds in Metro Manila during storms, but those would not be available year-round, so building wind mills there would not be economically viable.)

DOE requires many documents, as listed in their "Investor's Guidebook" (link below), but for our discussion, the requirements for it being a power generation facility are:

1. DENR's Environmental Clearance Certificate
2. SEC Registration
3. LGU Clearance

The DOE also endorses the power plant (at this stage, called a power project) to the National Grid Commission of the Philippines (NGCP), the National Transmission Corporation's (TRANSCO) contracted operator, for a Grid Impact Studies (GIS) certification. This process ensures that the power capacity produced by the power plant can and will be accommodated by the system.

While a power plant can be constructed easily, the final authority for it to operate (whether for selling of its power to the public, or the grid, or for internal use) is the certificate of compliance (COC) issued by the ERC. The link on the list of requirements is identified in the "Sources" section below.

Benefits to Host Communities

Power generation (and the energy industry, in general) is an environment-impacting business, and when we say it impacts the environment, it impacts the physical environment and the community which lives there. As such, the government requires that the power generation companies return a certain amount of their earnings to the community, through the "Benefits to Host Communities," or Energy Regulation (ER) 1-94.

The aggregated fund can be utilized for electrification, environmental, and livelihood projects. More information is available in the DOE website, link also available in the "Sources" section.

Business

Power generation, like any business, requires inputs in the form of fuel. For renewable energy plants, which do not require traditional fuel, initial capital is generally more costly compared to fossil-based (oil, coal, natural gas) power plants. As we see, right from the start, investors spend a lot of money to make a power plant, and they have in mind right from the start that they will make money out of it.

The NPC-monopoly era of the government subsidizing the cost of power generation (among others) resulted in NPC's debts. This, among others, led to the government's reviewing the power industry, which led to the EPIRA. Mindanao, which mostly sources from hydro-power plants, sought to exempt themselves from the industry-based power market, and as such, there were not a lot of investors which wanted to compete in a grid which has a very low cost of power being made to consumers by the hydropower sources.

While we do not want to pay for external sources, renewable energy is not as reliable (as in year-round) as baseload (fossil-fuel based) power plants. As such, in power generation, we balance cost of power (lower in renewable energy) with year-long readily-available power (present in baseload plants).

Review

To review, we see that generation was initially a market-driven sub-sector. This was changed into a public utility, and with EPIRA, it was defined as a business with public interest - I guess we can say it was returned to its previous setup but with government roadmap inserted there. The changing nature of electricity (business or public utility) affects its availability as investors or players consider how they are able to earn money from it.

The various generation plants transmit through high-voltage transmission lines, another sub-sector which we will discuss later.

DISCLAIMER:

The above, and all posts in this blog, is the author's best-effort attempt to understand and communicate the power industry, and is not to be used as an official source of opinion or interpretation. The below sources are provided for that purpose.

Sources:

1. COA, Sectoral Performance Audit Report on Government Contracts with Independent Power Producers (CY 2005), http://www.coa.gov.ph/GWSPA/2005/IPP2005-09.htm accessed 21 August 2013.
2. DOE, 21st EPIRA Implementation Report http://www.doe.gov.ph/doe_files/pdf/01_Energy_Situationer/21st%20EPIRA%20Status%20Report_FINAL.pdf accessed 21 August 2013.
3. DOE, "Financial Benefits to Host Communities under ER 1-94, as Amended" http://www.doe.gov.ph/power-and-electrification/benefits-to-host-communities/388-financial-benefits-er-1-94
4. DOE, "Energy Investor's Guidebook," http://www.doe.gov.ph/doe_files/pdf/Researchers_Downloable_Files/EnergyPresentation/Energy_Investor's_Guidebook.pdf accessed 21 August 2013.
5. ERC, "Documentary Requirements for the Issuance of COC"  http://www.erc.gov.ph/Pages/documentary-requirements-for-the-issuance-of-coc accessed 21 August 2013.
6. Fabella, R.V. (2002). The Regulatory Environment of the Energy Industry in the Philippines (Working Paper Series of Centre on Regulation and Competition).
7. NEA, "Origin of Philippine Electrification," http://www.nea.gov.ph/about-us, accessed 21 August 2013.
8. Republic Act 9136.

The Philippine Power Sector: Part 1

The Process and the Players

(Disclaimer: This is an unofficial, layman-focused attempt to describe how we, ordinary people, get electricity in our homes.)

We Filipinos get power through a “collaboration” of private and public sector facilities. To help us understand how we get electricity and why it costs so much, we will look at how it really is produced, and the business-economics behind it.

Generally, the power is generated by power generation companies with their power plants. The power they generate is transmitted through a network of transmission lines to substations, which then transmit the electricity to distribution utilities (DUs) like Meralco. These DUs will then distribute the electricity to residential and commercial consumers.

Based on this simple description, we could then classify the players in the power sector into power generation, power distribution and power distribution.

Power generation sub-sector involves both private and government-owned entities involved in generating electricity. The most prominent player in this sub-sector is the National Power Corporation, or NPC, which is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC). With the implementation of RA 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) power generation ceased to be a public utility, and NPC's generation assets (both fossil-based and renewables-based) were to be privatized. The logic of this mandate is to give this utility to the private sector which has better interest in pursuing efficiency and can manage the risks of power generation as a good with fluctuating value in the market (I think).

Transmission sub-sector is mostly a monopoly, with the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) as the only participant. TransCo, as provided for in EPIRA, has contracted its operation and maintenance responsibilities to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), while retaining asset ownership of their 19,425 circuit kilometers of transmission lines and 23,853 MVA of substation capacity (as of end-2009).

Distribution sub-sector is a combination of private DUs and public utility cooperatives. Meralco and Davao Light and Power Corporation are two of the few private DUs. In the countryside, electricity is mostly distributed by electric cooperatives (ECs). These private DUs and ECs make electricity available to us, families as well as commercial entities, and we pay them for the whole process--from generation, through transmission, to distribution, as well as the business of doing it.

Of course, not all parts of the Philippines have access to grid power (i.e., power that is received from the nationwide network of electricity supply, or power grid). While President Gloria Arroyo reported in 2009 that 99.99 percent of barangays in the country already have access to grid power (umabot na sa halos lahat ng barangay ang elektrisidad), it is different from access of power on the household level. Yes, it is possible to say that all barangay halls have access to power, but not all households in those barangays have electricity yet. (I will talk about this in another post, “Rural Electrification in the Philippines.”)

For now, we will stop here. So we have three players in this simple process. But how come we have brownouts in this age when there are more cellphones than Filipinos? There is more to it than the obvious.

Saturday after the SONA

It is the Saturday after the President's State of the Nation Address (SONA), which was last July 22. This post is not really about the SONA, but just a time reference.

Ubuntu Edge

I only understood Ubuntu Edge yesterday, after I read the article about it. I thought it was the same as the Ubuntu Phone which is planned for release next year. I realized that it is crowd-funded project exclusively for enthusiasts who are willing to shell out money to get this phone. I was inclined to compare it to Google Glass in terms of prototyping, which will be made available to a few users for its first (not sure if this is the correct word) release, but then realized that just by that description, it is far different.

 Ubuntu Edge will really only be given to those who will pledge to contribute money to the development and actual production of the concept phone. Google Glass is really funded by Google, and the first users are there to contribute to its final, commercial-model shape (I think this sentence is constructed poorly, but then again...). After Google's initial release, they get user feedback data, and then modify the Glass to suit the needs of the users. Ubuntu Edge, on the other hand, after that exclusive production, will not be made available to other interested individuals. They have to show their interest upfront.

I am very much interested with this phone: 128 GB storage, 4 GB RAM (at least), quad-core processor, metal body, sapphire crystal screen overlay, dual 4G LTE antennae, low-light (The specs are not yet final, as they may change depending on the available technology when production starts probably late this year.)

I just don't have and can't produce $780 in 25 days.

SONA Technical Report

So the President delivered the State of the Nation Address. Of course, it will have mixed reviews. What I am more interested in is for people to read the SONA Technical Report, the more detailed report behind the SONA speech. Dr. Michael Tan of UP Department of Anthropology wrote the value of the SONA Technical report here.

Things Learned at Work

I posted before that I wanted to post here things or concepts I learned at work. Hopefully, I will have time tomorrow. I want to write about the Philippine power industry.

However, just in case I forget, I will post here the link to the republic act which strengthened the National Electrification Administration, or NEA. NEA is the primary agency tasked with the electrification of the countryside.

Relationships

Just like in my previous post, I said my interest on the topic of relationships and communication has been reawakened. Probably due to personal interest? Probably. But yeah, I got interested again... After watching Hitch again. I hope to post more of that movie's quotes here.

Blog versus Facebook versus Twitter

When Twitter started in about 2009 (not sure, but I was one of the few which adopted Twitter for the College of Arts and Sciences early), I thought it solved my difficulty of having to write a lot before I could publish, which is how blogs work. It does not look good to post a blog article containing only 160 characters.

However, I learned that I missed writing on my blog. The audience is different. Writing for a blog is different (more difficult and integrative) to posting a Twitter status.  I will probably write a brief article about that in my (long delayed) future book

Hopefully, I have time. After the SONA Technical Report, I hope to lay out the CAS-UP Manila End of Term Report of Dr. Imperial.

Birthday Work

Last year, I also wrote on the day after my birthday, particularly the first few hours of my 32nd year living on this planet. Now, I am doing that again. I just want to write something, because last year, I wrote about missing writing.

Working on my birthday is not new for me. My first job was in a call center, working on graveyard shift. I worked for training companies. I worked at UP Manila. All of these companies required that I work on my birthday, even if it falls on a rest day.

Like now. It's 2:14 AM here in the Philippines, but I am doing the layout of something.

Anyway, right now, I just want to recognize and express my appreciation for the many people who have been part of my life. This is just a list. No expression except that first sentence in this paragraph, and this: "Thank you."

First and foremost, I thank God. For creating me, blessing me with both the capacity to do things according to His will, and the weaknesses to help me appreciate my position in this world and depend on Him. Nothing will happen without His permission. Even my failures, which led me here. Yes, here.

I am grateful for my family.
I am grateful for all my friends.
I am grateful for all my colleagues, now and before.

This is supposedly a long post, but I don't have time now. That is the reason I always try to express my appreciation when I feel it. Because at times like this, when I want to but I don't have the time, I just can't mention and really express my appreciation.

For you who allowed me to express my appreciation, thank you. Thank you so much.