President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was scheduled to inaugurate the plant, could not make it because the "weather did not permit it", Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said. But through Energy Secretary Reyes, President Arroyo said that the plant was the realization of her dream to make the Philippines less dependent on imported fuel.
"This is a major milestone in the government's effort to reduce dependency on imported sources of energy, and to have energy security coupled with social equity and environmental sustainability,"said Energy Secretary Reyes, who led government officials at the inauguration ceremonies on Friday, 4 September.