Manila, Oct. 29 -- Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to helping the Philippines with its energy-sector projects given the economy's rising demand and huge potential to be a regional player.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) on Wednesday, Priyantha Wijayatunga, ADB Energy Sector Office Senior Director for Energy, said the multilateral lender "has not been engaged in the energy sector for some time in the Philippines" but noted that "this is opening up and hopefully for a longer relationship."

He declined to give any figure on how much ADB intends to lend for the Philippines' energy-related projects but said this will likely reach "even up to about a billion dollars... ...