PANGLAO ISLAND, BOHOL, 22 August 2026 — With the Visayas grid facing recurring yellow and red alerts amid tight power reserves and several generating units on forced outage, the Province of Bohol is taking steps to strengthen its energy security, reliability, and affordability by making greater use of its own renewable energy resources and planning strategically for future energy needs. 

From August 11 to 14, the Technical Working Group (TWG) participated in the Bohol Province Renewable Energy Roadmap Workshop. This four-day workshop examined the province’s current energy landscape, assessed its renewable energy (RE) potential, and identified energy priorities and targets for 2030, 2035, and beyond. A key focus was bringing energy planning into local development planning, so the province can better anticipate future energy needs and reflect them in its development plans, investments, policies, and programs.

Bohol’s energy supply relies heavily on the Visayas Grid, while the province has limited in-island generation capacity amid increasing power demand. The recent tight supply situation across the Visayas highlights the urgency of bringing more RE into the energy mix, alongside a more diversified generation portfolio and stronger local energy resilience.

During the workshop, the TWG examined Bohol’s renewable energy potential, including solar, hydropower, and biomass, and discussed how these resources could contribute to meeting the province’s future energy needs. The discussions also focused on policy recommendations and potential investments that could translate these energy resources into concrete projects. 

Governor Aris Aumentado, represented by Atty. Handel Lagunay during his welcome remarks, emphasized the importance of local leadership in shaping Bohol’s energy future.. 

“Energy self-reliance does not mean disconnecting Bohol from the national grid. It means developing enough indigenous, diversified, and renewable capacity so that we remain connected but are no longer dangerously dependent,” Aumentado stated. 

He further highlighted that local governments should act as conveners, planners, and facilitators in the energy transition, bringing together the national government, utilities, investors, communities, academia, and civil society to create a unified energy vision.

This initiative builds on existing provincial policies that prioritize renewable energy within Bohol’s development agenda. The province has declared itself coal-free through Bohol Provincial Ordinance No. 2023-018, known as the Clean and Renewable Energy Code of Bohol. This is supported by the Bohol Renewable Energy Code and its implementing rules and regulations, the Bohol Renewable Energy Board, and the Bohol Renewable Energy Investment Evaluation Framework.

Bohol has also been actively transitioning to renewable energy, with key projects already on the ground, including the 27-megawatt Dagohoy Solar Power Plant, the 8-megawatt Bohol Light Company Solar Farm, and the 50-megawatt Bohol 2-Anda Wind Power Project, which is expected to be completed by 2029. The roadmap will build on these developments by helping the province determine what additional energy resources, infrastructure, policies, and investments are needed to meet future demand.

Assistant Director Ruby De Guzman of the Renewable Energy Management Bureau at the Department of Energy (DOE) highlighted the importance of bringing the energy transition closer to the local level.

“The energy transition cannot be achieved through national policies alone. It must be localized, co-created, and driven by our communities,” De Guzman said, emphasizing the role of local governments in strengthening their own energy security and advancing sustainable development.

Following the workshop, the TWG and the Provincial Government will continue developing the roadmap, including refining energy priorities, targets, policies, and potential projects. The next phase will focus on translating the province’s energy vision into a roadmap that can inform local policies, investments, and development decisions.

Bohol’s experience points to a broader opportunity for local governments: to take a more active role in shaping energy systems that are secure, reliable, and affordable—and aligned with the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.

ABOUT THE INITIATIVE
This activity is part of a series of capacity-building engagements entitled “Localizing Energy Transition: Empowering Local Governments to Co-Create the Renewable Energy Roadmap.” It is co-facilitated by AktivAsia Pilipinas, supported by the Tara Climate Foundation, and is part of the Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy (CASE) for Southeast Asia project led by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and implemented on behalf of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

ABOUT
The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities is a Philippine-based non-governmental organization that advances climate, energy, and low-carbon solutions to enable fair and climate-resilient development at the national and international levels.

CONTACT
Sanaf Marcelo, ICSC: media@icsc.ngo, +63 968 886 3466, +63 917 149 5649
Sophia Fernandez, ICSC: media@icsc.ngo, +63 918 455 8870

Photos (c) Sophia Fernandez/ICSC