(THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR)
TACLOBAN CITY — The provincial government of Northern Samar has earned national recognition for its strong push toward renewable energy development after bagging the Sustainable Energy Award in the Local Government Unit (LGU) category from the Department of Energy (DOE).
The award was conferred during the Sustainable Energy Awards ceremony held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City, a flagship recognition program of the DOE that honors local governments and institutions championing renewable energy initiatives across the country.
The DOE cited Northern Samar’s proactive policies, streamlined permitting processes, and effective inter-agency coordination that have created an enabling environment for renewable energy investments and other strategic projects in the province.
Under the leadership of Governor Harris CM Ongchuan, the provincial government has leveraged Northern Samar’s strategic location within the Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ) while strengthening ease-of-doing-business measures and incentives to attract investors. These efforts have resulted in the incubation of eight renewable energy projects with a combined projected capacity of nearly 1,000 megawatts, targeted for development by 2026.
The provincial government has also committed to supporting national energy targets, including contributing to a 35-percent share of renewable energy in the country’s power generation mix by 2030, with plans to scale this up to 50 percent by 2040.
“Together, we can rise to meet these challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead. Now is the time for us to collaborate and innovate in our pursuit of sustainable energy,” Ongchuan said as he accepted the award. He also urged other local government units to explore renewable energy development as a way of contributing to the Philippine Power Development Plan.
Joining Governor Ongchuan during the awarding ceremony were Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Emil Nicholas Ongchuan II and Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office head Jhon Allen Berbon.
The provincial government said the recognition reinforces Northern Samar’s commitment to aligning local initiatives with national development goals while ensuring that the benefits of sustainable energy projects reach the broader Nortehanon community.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
