ICSC, DBP sign partnership to accelerate climate investments through GCF, spark broader collaboration with financial institutions
Following the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) held a coordination meeting in Makati City on June 22 to discuss the development of project proposals under the Green Climate Fund (GCF) pipeline. ICSC is an accredited civil society observer to the GCF, with Executive Director Angelo Kairos dela Cruz serving as an Active Observer to the GCF Board, representing civil society organizations from developing countries. The organization also acts as convenor of GCFWatch, a civil society-led initiative empowering civil society, Indigenous [...]
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 [...]
Ahead of Independence Day, advocates call for freedom from high electricity prices through solar energy
QUEZON CITY, 11 June 2026 – On the eve of Philippine Independence Day, civil society organizations, renewable energy advocates, industry representatives, and community members called for freedom from high electricity prices and recurring power interruptions, urging the Philippine government to empower Filipinos with greater access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Held at Quezon City Memorial Circle, the gathering marked the launch of “Sayang Ang Araw: Gawing Mura Ang Solar,” a public engagement and policy advocacy campaign pushing for the accelerated adoption of rooftop solar. The campaign calls for concrete reforms to improve affordability and access, including the removal [...]
ICSC: The real risk is delay, not renewables
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities REACTIVE EDITOR'S NOTE (07 May 2026): Amendments were made in the introduction and articles cited to reflect clarifications in this piece. QUEZON CITY, 06 May 2026 – In the midst of an energy crisis, marked by rising electricity prices and continued exposure to volatile global fuel markets—the real risk is not renewable energy, but the delay and barriers to scaling it. Recent conversations surfaced on how nuclear energy is being "eyed to contribute to the local power generation mix by 2032." In response, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) [...]
ICSC: Enable, not constrain, informed solar energy adoption
Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities OFFICIAL STATEMENT Rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are a critical component of the Philippines’ energy transition, offering a decentralized and increasingly affordable solution to rising electricity demand. Yet a significant portion of these systems—particularly small- to medium-scale installations—remain unregistered and therefore invisible in official energy accounting. This leads to an underestimation of actual renewable energy (RE) capacity and generation, with implications for planning, demand forecasting, and tracking progress toward national RE target share in the power generation mix of 35% by 2030, increasing to 50% by 2040, and over 50% by 2050. Recently, [...]