August 10, 2026
Last July 29, The Climate Reality Project Philippines, in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE), gathered energy stakeholders in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, for a forum entitled Choosing Renewables: Information Campaign on the Green Energy Option Program and Other Voluntary Renewable Energy Mechanisms.
Speakers included officials from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Region 7 – Central Visayas (DepDEV), the Independent Electricity Market Operators of the Philippines (IEMOP); and First Gen Corporation. Essential to the discussions were their insights and expertise on the many pathways consumers can take to transition to RE.
“Our country has set ambitious targets to increase the share of renewable energy in our power generation mix— 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040. Achieving these goals demands not only government action but the collective effort of the entire energy ecosystem,” said Engr. William Carido, OIC Chief of DEPDEV’s Electric Power Industry Management Division.
Representatives from cities Makati and Lapu-Lapu also shared their experience implementing clean energy initiatives in their respective localities. Also in attendance were private businesses, distribution utilities, and civil society organizations interested in making the shift to renewables.
Faced with the double crisis of climate change and energy insecurity, LGUs like Lapu-Lapu City consider shifting to renewables an apt solution for both problems. Recent events like the US-Israel war on Iran and 2021’s Typhoon Odette’s onslaught pushed officials in Lapu-Lapu City to rethink how they power their communities.
“The city of Lapu-Lapu is still in its infancy stage of implementing renewable energy– if not, we’re still starting in this new endeavour— this new kind of system for local government units in the Philippines. I think only a few LGUs in the Philippines are implementing renewable energy… all of us are still starting,” shared Nagiel Bañacia, Asst. City Administrator and the OIC DRRM Officer at the City Government of Lapu-Lapu.
Despite the many available mechanisms for LGUs to shift to renewables, challenges still abound for local officials. These include a lack of awareness on the ground about RE’s benefits and programs like GEOP. Cited as hurdles also were difficulties in the process of procuring green suppliers. To address some concerns regarding these challenges, part of Choosing Renewables’ program in Lapu-Lapu City was sharing sessions from policy implementers like the DOE and ERC and RE switchers like the Makati City LGU.
Makati City recently kickstarted its transition to RE, sharing their accomplishment of being the first LGU to be powered by 100% clean energy. Last July, Makati City launched the first phase of its RE transition, with a total of 11 major government establishments now operating on RE alone.
Under the New Government Procurement Act, Makati City leveraged an unsolicited offer to secure a multi-year 100% RE supply contract. According to Makati City, these efforts are projected to prevent up to 300,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, on top of PHP 300 million in savings.
This New Government Procurement Act is expected to streamline procurement processes for national government agencies and LGUs, especially for contracts related to the transition to renewables.
“Transitioning to renewable sources ay part din ng kung paano natin icoconserve, or paano tayo magiging efficient in using energy in all our systems— lalong-lalo na for government facilities,” said Atty. Mel Kenneth A. Mabute, Legal Officer at the City Government of Makati.
A highlighted benefit of Makati’s transition to renewables is the realignment of the power budget to other crucial social services. Considerably more affordable than traditional energy sources, RE has helped Makati City to cut costs on energy.
“Goal mo is mapababa mo ‘yung cost mo sa electricity so that may maibigay ka pa for other programs. More specifically for LGUs, yung social programs nila. So ‘yun po ‘yung importance ng pagpasok ng conservation measures,” added Atty. Mabute.
Increased savings is also one of the main advantages for businesses to shift to RE. In studies conducted by Climate Reality Philippines, investing in renewables through GEOP has led to financial wins for its consumers. More than this, however, GEOP end-users report being more aligned with their companies’ sustainability and emissions reduction goals.
The rise in RE’s popularity and necessity has pushed government agencies like the DOE and ERC to streamline energy transition processes. While there exist many mechanisms for both businesses and households to invest in RE, there are also institutional and procedural barriers that make transitioning hard.
“Ngayon, si DOE na lang din, saka si ERC, we’re trying to come up with like a basis for how you can— or to guide government institutions on how to provide the terms of reference [for when you do your bidding] kasi ‘yun din po talaga ‘yung naging challenge,” said Atty. Chiara Angela Blanco, Chief Energy Regulation Officer at the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Even for government agencies and establishments, shifting to renewables means navigating procurement policies. Despite this, the DOE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau (DOE-REMB) is optimistic about RE gaining traction among Filipinos. The office’s mandate to promote RE is in line with the nation’s broader ambitions of sustainability and energy security.
“Since [the implementation of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008], we have already installed an additional 4,597 megawatts of RE capacity sa atin pong bansa, with the total cost of investment of PHP 440 billion pesos and an estimated 38 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent,” said Angelica Delos Santos, Senior Science Research Specialist from the DOE.
Just recently, the DOE released amendments to GEOP, with the aim of making the transition to renewables smoother for potential end users. One key update to GEOP regulations was the lowering of the average monthly peak demand requirement. Amendments reduced it from 100 kW down to 50 kW, allowing smaller establishments to avail of GEOP’s benefits.
Also amended are provisions surrounding volume-matching, which ensures that the total power consumed over a period is equal to the total amount of RE produced. Recent updates to GEOP rules now give RE suppliers flexibility by matching total demand over a defined period rather than demanding strict real-time matching.
These amendments are expected to encourage more consumers to avail of GEOP, whose switchers have recently breached 1000.
Amidst talk of energy affordability and security, civil society organizations like Climate Reality Philippines strive to incorporate climate into the conversation of RE.
Touted as one of the main ways the country can reduce its emissions, transitioning to renewables is a crucial component of national climate action. Forums like Choosing Renewables aim to keep climate and sustainability at the heart of all RE transition efforts across all sectors.
“GEOP is a crucial component for the Philippines’ green energy transition, and rising demand for RE will continue to drive down power prices. Essentially, we see GEOP as a market indicator that the Filipinos are ready for renewable energy. And if more people switch into GEOP, we can signify to the government and the market that we want RE,” said Giancarlo Pocholo Enriquez, Energy Program Lead at Climate Reality Philippines.
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