First Gen Corporation and Japan's largest gas utility, Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd., held its "kagami biraki" or groundbreaking ceremony for the $1 billion Liquefied Natural Gas receiving terminal project in Batangas City Monday morning.

According to First Gen, the terminal which is set to be located at the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas is "construction ready" after completing significant pre-development works.

Officials from both companies conducted the traditional Japanese ceremony which symbolizes "opening the mirror" or "to mark the start of something new" according to Kunio Nohata, senior managing executive officer and chief executive of the global business division of Tokyo Gas.

First Gen chairman and CEO Federico Lopez said the ceremony celebrates the two company's "completion of the significant pre-development work, and the commencement of the next phase of the development of the project."

"Once completed, the LNG terminal will allow the country to import liquefied natural gas and ensure a continuing stable supply of clean energy once the Malampaya gas field is depleted. The LNG Terminal Project could possibly be the most significant energy infrastructure project to be undertaken in the Philippines in more than two decades," First Gen said in a statement.

First Gen said the terminal "will play a crucial role in ensuring the energy security of the Philippines, and the Luzon grid particularly when the indigenous Malampaya gas resource no longer produces sufficient fuel for the country's existing gas-fired power plants, and certainly not for additional gas-fired power plants."

"We are working hard to firm up our Liquefied Natural Gas regastification terminal investment that is intended to ensure that our country can meet its future growing energy needs utilizing clean low-carbon natural gas," First Gen President Francis Giles Puno said.

The Batangas energy complex of First Gen, the Philippines' largest natural gas provider, has approximately 2,000 megawatts in operating gas assets which is powered by four natural gas plants, including 1,000 megawatt Santa Rita Power Plant, 500 megawatt San Lorenzo Power Plant, 414 megawatt San Gabriel Power Plant, and the 97 megawatt Avion Power Plant. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS