August 27, 2026
Every solar-powered streetlight, every community-hydropower project, every local ordinance that prioritizes renewable energy for the people— these are the everyday acts of service that bring our national climate goals to life.
On August 13 and 19, Climate Reality Philippines trooped to Visayas and Mindanao for the systems-strengthening workshop series, EmPOWER LGU: Capacity Building For Local Governments In Achieving Energy Targets in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Together with the Department of Energy (DOE), Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), AktivAsia, and the Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technologies (CREATE), we gathered local executives, municipal planners and engineers, and civil society experts in Mati City and Tacloban City to scope renewable energy initiatives, barriers, and opportunities in response to the accelerated renewable energy targets from the national level.
The NDC is the Philippines’ commitment to the global climate goal of limiting global warming to below 1.5°C. Under the NDC Implementation Plan 2020-2030, local government units (LGU) must integrate national energy targets into their Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs), among other policies and measures (PAMs).
The EmPOWER LGU series is a programmatic follow-through to the Reimagine NDC consultations last year, where local governments, national agencies, and civil society collectively agreed on the urgent need for stronger support for subnational governments to achieve our energy targets.
The gaps were clear; LGUs were already implementing projects that contribute to our climate targets, but their efforts remained unmeasured, unreported, and unsupported.
Mitzi Salcedo, Climate Reality Philippines’ Climate Diplomacy Lead puts it plainly, “LGUs are already delivering on NDC policies and measures in many ways. If we properly measure, support, and recognize local energy initiatives, we can unlock a significant contribution to our national climate goals and its unconditional targets.”
Arturo Tahup of ICSC reinforced why local governments are indispensable, “they are the closest to the people. They know the situation of the people and the energy situation.”
The workshops confirmed this. Across both regions, local governments shared stories of progress. Solar-powered streetlights in Cateel, mini-hydro projects in Boston, energy efficiency ordinances in Davao Oriental, and renewable energy provisions embedded in provincial development frameworks. While in Eastern Samar for instance, a solar-powered water system in Borongan, Amanhuray Falls hydropower, and an ongoing Comprehensive Development Plan in San Julian to center on solar energy projects for their constituents.
But the conversations also surfaced urgent needs. In Mindanao, representatives emphasized the need for budget support and technical assistance from DOE in crafting local energy plans. Davao de Oro provincial leaders were direct that they have untapped geothermal and hydro potential, yet no comprehensive resource studies exist. “We are already in your maps,” one participant said. “We like to see that you are putting our provinces in your development direction,” they have emphasized further. In Visayas, the ask centered on technical knowledge; how to process different renewable energy sources, navigate permitting systems, and evaluate project proposals.
Limited funding remains a persistent barrier across both regions.
“The NDC, the Paris Agreement, and UNFCCC were signed by [the Philippine] government,” reminded Hershey Dela Cruz of DOE’s Energy Policy and Planning Bureau. “That means all of us have a responsibility, from the national agencies to the local government units.”
This is the heart of EmPOWER LGU— positioning our local governments as agents of national climate resilience. Every project realized means improved energy security for communities, stronger resilience against climate impacts, and a step closer to our global commitments.
From Mati to Tacloban, the message is clear; our NDC will only be as strong as the local governments that deliver them on the ground.
In this light, to DOE and our national agencies, the time to stand with local governments is now. Our LGUs cannot continue to carry the weight of our national climate commitments without the resources to match their mandate. Dedicate sustained funding for LGU energy planning. Provide the technical expertise our towns and cities have been asking for. Build the capacity of local planners, local energy officers, and local leaders to turn national targets into on-the-ground action.
To local governments, your work matters. Document your initiatives, report your progress, and demand the support you deserve. You are not merely implementers of national policy, you are frontliners of our country’s climate resilience.
The just energy transition will be won community by community. Together, let us empower our LGUs to lead the way.
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