TACLOBAN CITY – Six municipalities in Eastern Visayas have taken a formal step toward reducing power costs and improving electricity reliability after their mayors signed agreements to craft local energy plans and pass renewable energy (RE) ordinances in their respective areas.
The mayors of Alangalang in Leyte; Paranas and Marabut in Samar; and Guiuan, Oras, and Salcedo, all in Eastern Samar signed separate memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) during a ceremony held here on Feb. 20.
The Manila-based organization advocates climate resilience and low-carbon development and works with both national agencies and local governments to strengthen clean energy policies.
ICSC Executive Director Angelo Kairos dela Cruz said the collaboration demonstrates that the energy transition can be achieved through strong local leadership and cross-sector cooperation.
“Every signature, decision, and step that we take will serve as a symbol of our vision and collective action toward achieving a better and more resilient future for Eastern Visayas,” dela Cruz said in a statement, stressing the urgency of the energy transition.
The partnership aims to help local government units (LGUs) develop participatory and data-driven local energy transition plans anchored on community needs and local development priorities. These plans are expected to guide the passage of enabling ordinances that will support renewable energy investments and programs at the municipal level.
Eastern Visayas has long faced challenges in energy supply, including unstable service and high electricity rates that have disrupted hospital operations, affected schools and communication systems, and increased the cost of doing business.
Despite its strong potential for solar, wind, and geothermal energy, the region has remained heavily dependent on coal-fired power plants.
Electricity rates in parts of the region even reached as high as P20.96 per kilowatt-hour—among the highest in the country—adding financial strain on households and small enterprises.
Alangalang Mayor Lovell Ann Yu-Castro said the MOUs represent a long-term commitment rather than a symbolic gesture.
“We are not merely drafting plans, we are laying the foundation for a resilient future,” Yu-Castro said in a statement.
“This is not only about energy. It is about economic opportunity and green jobs. It is about lowering power costs for families and ensuring energy security for our schools, health centers, and public services,” she added.
Under the agreements, the LGUs committed to align their local energy initiatives with national frameworks such as the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act and the DILG–DOE Joint Memorandum Circular 2020-01, which streamlines the processing of energy projects at the local level.
The towns also pledged to promote programs like Net Metering and the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which allows qualified electricity consumers to directly source their power from renewable energy providers.
Paranas Mayor Elvira Babalcon underscored the role of local leaders in driving the transition.
“We affirm that local energy planning is not just an option but a responsibility that local leaders must work on, not in the future but now,” Babalcon said. “We commit to integrating renewable energy into our local development plans, promoting solar and energy solutions, building local capacities, and encouraging community participation.”
For its part, ICSC committed to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to help the LGUs conduct multi-stakeholder consultations, prepare clean energy transition roadmaps, draft RE ordinances, and mobilize investments for renewable energy projects.
Priority actions identified under the partnership include promoting rooftop solar installations in government offices, commercial establishments, farms, and homes; developing renewable energy initiatives for sustainable tourism; expanding Community Renewable Energy (CORE) projects; and rolling out information and education campaigns to encourage greater public adoption of clean energy technologies.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
