Part of renewable energy campaign

TACLOBAN CITY – The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) has formalized partnerships with two local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas to install rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their municipal buildings, marking a significant step towards promoting renewable energy in the region.

The beneficiary municipalities, Guiuan in Eastern Samar and Paranas in Samar, will each receive solar PV systems valued at P6.7 million.

The agreements were signed on October 11 by ICSC Executive Director Angelo Kairos dela Cruz, alongside Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan and Paranas Mayor Eunice Babalcon.

The installation of these rooftop solar PV systems is part of ICSC’s initiative to encourage the adoption of renewable energy (RE) at the local level, driving solar uptake in municipal, commercial, industrial, and residential buildings.

Once completed, these projects will bolster the energy independence of the LGUs, reducing reliance on unstable grid power and frequent blackouts that plague Samar Island.

Additionally, the solarization efforts are expected to lower long-term energy costs, allowing savings to be redirected to other municipal investments, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependency.

The Solarize Guiuan project will feature the installation of 100 bifacial solar panels, each with a capacity of 600 watts, for a total peak capacity of 60 kilowatts.

Meanwhile, the Solarize Paranas initiative will install 88 bifacial panels with a capacity of 555 watts each, totaling 48.84 kilowatts.

Mayor Kwan emphasized that Guiuan’s reliance on costly and unreliable grid electricity has hampered the municipality’s economic growth.

“Our town has suffered from high energy costs and persistent power outages, discouraging investors and hindering the productivity of our fisheries sector,” said Kwan. “We cannot progress; we remain poor because of power issues.”

Kwan expressed hope that the solarization of the municipal building would encourage private enterprises and other government offices in Guiuan to adopt renewable energy, mitigating the impact of frequent power interruptions on their operations.

Paranas Mayor Babalcon, who initiated the municipality’s solarization efforts in 2019 with the installation of PV systems for the municipal evacuation center and materials recovery facility, said this latest initiative will further strengthen Paranas’ commitment to climate action.

“The Solarize Paranas project fortifies our existing solarization efforts and enhances our focus on climate mitigation and adaptation,” Babalcon noted. “This step contributes to our broader goal of reducing the impacts of climate change.”

She also highlighted the importance of renewable energy during disasters, when grid power is often unavailable. “Solar power ensures that during typhoons, we can keep lights on in evacuation centers and maintain communication, which is critical in emergency situations,” Babalcon said.

Under the agreement, the LGUs will manage and maintain the hybrid photovoltaic systems donated and installed by ICSC.

The agreement also requires the LGUs to apply for net metering with their respective distribution utilities—Samar Electric Cooperative II (Samelco II) for Paranas and Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative (Esamelco) for Guiuan.

This will allow the LGUs to sell surplus electricity generated on weekends when municipal buildings typically have lower power consumption.

If Guiuan’s net metering application is approved, it will become the first member-consumer of Esamelco to benefit from the net metering law.

Additionally, the LGUs are tasked with developing a rooftop-mounted Solar Power Station Roadmap, identifying the solar potential of public buildings in their municipalities, and passing a Municipal Renewable Energy Ordinance to institutionalize rooftop solar adoption. ICSC will provide technical assistance to support these efforts.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY– In a forward-looking action to map out sustainable development, the city government has conducted another phase of workshops to finalize its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) for 2026-2035.

The three-day workshop, which ended on October 11, 2024.

Facilitated by the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) led by Environmental Planner (Enp.) Janis Claire S. Canta is in partnership with other concerned departments of the LGU Tacloban, including government agencies, and the USAID Urban Connect Project.

The participants in this CLUP workshop include another batch of barangay officials, representing half of the 138 barangays of the city.

Among the resource speakers are City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Head Jonathan Hijada, and Enp. Camille Lelina Bantaculo, the acting chief of the Environmental Land Use and Urban Planning and Development Division, DSHUD Regional Office 8.

The said speakers emphasized to the barangay officials their roles and importance in the implementation of the CLUP and how they could effectively be partners in the development being leaders and agents of authority in their respective barangays.

The CLUP is a critical planning tool for every local government unit (LGU) that outlines the long-term, sustainable use of land and resources within its jurisdiction.

This underscores important aspects as follows: (1.) Guided Development—serving as a blueprint for physical and spatial development, ensuring that land use aligns with the community’s priorities; (2.) Resource Management—allowing the government to effectively allocate land for residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and environmental purposes; (3.) Disaster Preparedness—which incorporates hazard mapping and disaster risk assessments to minimize vulnerability to natural disasters, improving the community’s resilience; (4.) Sustainability—this promotes growth while balancing environmental protection and resource conservation; and (5.) Regulatory Framework—providing a legal basis for zoning ordinances, land use permits, and other regulatory measures to control development and land utilization.(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)

TACLOBAN CITY-Consumers, Church groups, and civil society organizations are demanding a refund for what they claim are overpriced and illegal power supply agreements (PSAs) in Eastern Visayas.

These groups argue that the agreements, which drive up electricity rates, were executed without undergoing the required competitive selection process (CSP) mandated by the Supreme Court.

A 2019 Supreme Court ruling nullified PSAs that failed to comply with CSP guidelines. The ruling affects 120 PSAs nationwide, including 11 from distribution utilities in Region 8.

“The deceit of distribution utilities is undeniable. As much as 97.5% of the contracted power capacity in Eastern Visayas comes from illegal contracts, according to the Supreme Court,” said Griderick Alila, Visayas Coordinator of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).

“These unqualified contracts have been used to justify the region’s high electricity rates, forcing consumers to pay unjustly inflated bills for years,” he added.

Alila further warned that many of these contracts rely on coal-fired power plants, whose prices are subject to extreme volatility, leading to higher costs being passed on to consumers.

“A staggering 90% of the region’s contracted energy comes from expensive coal plants located outside the region. Meanwhile, Region 8 has nearly 100% renewable energy capacity that could provide cheaper power.”

Advocates are also concerned about the environmental and climate impacts of continued reliance on coal in Eastern Visayas, a region highly vulnerable to climate change.

“Consumers are already struggling with rising costs of basic needs, and high electricity prices only add to the burden. Beyond the financial toll, coal energy comes at the cost of lives, as we saw with the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda in 2013,” said Farah Gamalo of the Freedom from Debt Coalition(FDC) – Eastern Visayas.

She highlighted how the region’s coal use grew from 51% in 2013 to 90% by 2023, despite the lessons of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’, one of the strongest storms to ever hit the country.

Ronald Abao, program head of Caritas Palo, emphasized the need for accountability. “The deadliest typhoon to hit the world struck Tacloban, yet we continue to rely on dirty energy. Typhoon Yolanda was a harsh lesson, and we must never forget the vulnerability of our people. We must demand accountability from those responsible for these harmful energy choices.”

Alila outlined alternatives to the illegal coal PSAs, suggesting that the region shift toward renewable energy.

“Eastern Visayas has immense potential for clean, affordable renewable energy. By 2025, greener and cheaper energy should be within reach, but only if we start making the necessary changes now.”

The groups urged distribution utilities and generation companies to refund consumers for the excessive costs they have incurred due to these PSAs and transition to more sustainable and affordable energy solutions.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

Held in Tacloban City

TACLOBAN CITY – The 5th International Poverty Conference, hosted by Samar State University (SSU) in partnership with Southern Leyte State University (SLSU), brought together local and international experts, policymakers, researchers, and innovators to discuss strategies and solutions aimed at reducing poverty and fostering inclusive growth.
This year’s conference, themed “Empowering Communities through Sustainable Solutions and Innovations: Harnessing Change for Inclusive Growth,” was held here in Tacloban City from October 16 to 17, 2024.

It was attended by officials from various state universities across the Philippines, led by Tirso Ronquillo, president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges, who served as one of the plenary speakers.

SSU president Redentor Palencia highlighted that this year’s conference marks a significant milestone, with the number of collaborators increasing to 17 state universities and colleges (SUCs) and higher educational institutions (HEIs), up from just one in 2017.

“We started alone in 2017. Now, eight years later, we have 17 SUCs/HEIs working together to combat poverty in the Philippines. We’ve also partnered with a university from Vietnam, six national government agencies, and two local government units as strong Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) partners,” Palencia shared.

Palencia also emphasized the crucial role of research and partnerships in achieving social transformation. “The power of research and collaboration cannot be undermined, as they create positive and lasting impacts, all focused on one goal—social transformation.”

In his opening remarks, Maximo C. Aljibe, regional director of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED-8), underscored the importance of education in the fight against poverty.
“We encourage students to pursue careers that contribute to economic growth and create employment opportunities,” he said.

Aljibe added that CHED supports research and development projects, particularly those focused on innovation, by funding initiatives aimed at addressing poverty-related issues in agriculture, health, and the environment.

“These projects are not just academic exercises; they have real-world implications. By leveraging the expertise of HEIs, we aim to create sustainable solutions that empower local populations and promote inclusive growth,” Aljibe said.

The first day of the conference featured discussions on poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and the role of innovation.

Speakers included Professor Bryan Marson of the Development Academy of the Philippines and Senior Advisor at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, who spoke on “From Good to Better,” focusing on public service transformation.

The panel also featured Dr. Claire Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General at the Philippine Statistics Authority, who discussed “Understanding and Interpreting Poverty Statistics in Developing Countries,” Asec. Reynaldo R. Cancio from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), who covered “Monitoring and Evaluation of Poverty Reduction Programs,” and Ronquillo, who discussed the role of state universities as hubs for innovation and community empowerment.

The conference’s partner agencies included the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Commission on Population and Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the city of Catbalogan.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)