Solar Scholars Across Islands: Bridging Communities through Renewable Energy
By Glinly Alvero Editor’s Note: Glin currently serves as ICSC’s RE-Charge Pilipinas Senior Innovations Officer, based in ICSC’s regional office in Tacloban City, Leyte. With increasing risks and impacts from the changing climate, there are communities that are far more vulnerable than others, and they’re the ones who are affected immediately, with impacts on their livelihoods and lives. As we are facing this battle, the call for energy transition has become one of the key initiatives to address this: in grassroots communities, especially those off-grid, they are also taking a step forward towards energy transition, like using [...]
Northern Samar accelerates energy transition through RE Roadmap validation and proposed provincial energy ordinance
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE CATARMAN, NORTHERN SAMAR, June 28, 2026 — Following the initial workshop in April that identified renewable energy (RE) development opportunities, the Provincial Government of Northern Samar took a significant step towards energy transition during the second phase of crafting the Renewable Energy Roadmap in a Multistakeholder Consultation held June 17 to 18, 2026, at the Provincial Capitol in Catarman. Building on the gains of the workshop last April, local government units, civil society organizations, electric cooperatives, national government agencies, the private sector, and community representatives were brought together to review the [...]
Salcedo LGU takes a step toward a more secure and reliable energy future
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE PALO, LEYTE, 17 June 2026 — Recognizing the crucial role of the local government in forwarding secure and reliable energy in their community, the Municipality of Salcedo, Eastern Samar, joined the Renewable Energy (RE) Roadmap Scoping Workshop led by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) on June 8 to 11, 2026. “[Local government units] play a critical role in shaping how energy is planned, developed, and delivered,” said Department of Energy NREB-TSMD Chief Liza V. Pangilinan. “With the right tools, data, and partnerships, local governments can turn national directions [...]
Paranas LGU sets example for local energy security and resilience
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE PALO, LEYTE, 08 June 2026 — The municipality of Paranas, Samar reaffirmed their commitment to the energy transition and strengthened their local energy security and resilience through the Renewable Energy (RE) Roadmap Scoping Workshop led by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) on May 26-29 at Palo, Leyte. Outputs from the workshop were built upon the municipality's existing RE initiatives, which include the installation of solar streetlights in remote barangays and the solarization of the Paranas Municipal Hall executive building in partnership with ICSC. The RE roadmap and plan will [...]
Grid alerts, high WESM prices signal need for power system flexibility
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities PRESS RELEASE QUEZON CITY, 01 June 2026 –– The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) emphasized that recurring grid alerts and sustained high prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) point to a fundamental gap in the Philippine power system: the lack of flexible generation capacity. Throughout May 2026, grid alerts have been repeatedly raised across Luzon and the Visayas, with multiple instances of yellow and red alerts declared due to thin operating reserves. These alerts have, at times, necessitated rotational blackouts in multiple areas across the country to keep the [...]