ENERGY stakeholders promised to light up more rural areas in the country, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), in which he gave the public an update that there will be 200 new power plants in the next three years.
The government has yet to meet its target of total electrification in the archipelago, and Filipinos still complain of high electricity cost.
In a statement, Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA) chair Maria Theresa Cruz Capellan said: “Rural and island electrification has been a perennial problem of the Department of Energy. Emerging technology like solar and batteries with energy management systems can provide long-term solutions and a way forward to small island electrification.”
Capellan added that “the net metering program must be aggressively rolled out outside of Metro Manila as well. The government must continue to build the capacity of electricity cooperatives to assess their network, and in turn, allow more emerging technologies in small homes.”
For its part, the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association (Pippa) said: “The renewable energy private sector will fully support efforts of the government for a more sustainable future… We [will provide] additional capacity to address the electrification goals of the administration.”
Get the latest news
delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
National Electrification Administration (NEA) Administrator Antonio Almeda said the agency “will continue to work closely with our partner electric cooperatives to expand and hasten the deployment of solar home systems and other renewable energy solutions in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).
“As part of the 2023-2028 National Electrification Plan, we are intensifying efforts to bring power to more unserved sitios and barangays across the country, and our collaboration with the Department of Energy remains strong and constant. We are in regular coordination to implement practical, long-term solutions that address electricity-related concerns in areas such as Siquijor and other island provinces facing unique energy challenges.”
