The Philippine Department of Energy on Monday asked Indonesia to lift its ban on coal export, saying the move is "detrimental" to coal-dependent countries like the Philippines.

Indonesia announced the ban for the entire month of January 2022 to avert a looming power crisis in the country.

In a statement, Philippine Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi stressed the "healthy economic cooperation between the Philippines and Indonesia," saying that Indonesia's "recent policy will be detrimental to economies that rely on coal-fired power generation systems like the Philippines."

According to Cusi, the Philippines sourced 2.3 million metric tons monthly from Indonesia to fuel the country's coal-fired power plants in 2021.

"Power generated from coal comprises about 60 percent of the country's power demand," Cusi said.