Women Who Empower More Than Homes
Women Who Empower More Than Homes By Sanafe Marcelo In the small island community of Sulu-an in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, there is only eight hours of electricity that the island can use each day. The lights go out once the clock strikes midnight, and the community must wait until four in the afternoon to use them again. The lack of access to electricity affects many aspects of their daily lives, from household routines, livelihood, to education and healthcare. Yet during our visit, what stood out to me was not the limitation, but the women [...]
Eastern Visayas as leader in renewable energy [Inquirer]
By: Mel Matthew Doctor | August 29, 2025 | Published by Inquirer | READ THE STORY HERE Eastern Visayas holds an untapped potential that could transform not only its own economy, but also strengthen the Philippines’ entire energy sector. With one of the world’s largest geothermal reserves, and promising solar, wind, hydro, and tidal energy resources, the region is well-positioned to help address our most urgent need for clean, affordable, and secure energy. The stakes could not be higher. The Philippines faces a significant power deficit, with frequent grid alerts especially during peak summer months. In off-grid islands, power [...]
Philippines has over 1,800MW potential solar capacity nationwide – ICSC
QUEZON CITY, July 15, 2025 – Covering 174 cities and municipalities across the country, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) found 1,309.64 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity in Luzon, 472.48MW capacity in Visayas, and 61.08MW capacity in Mindanao – amounting to 1,846.08MW nationwide –– through a solar mapping tool launched today. The Solar Power Estimation of Capacities and Tracking Using Machine Learning (SPECTRUM), developed by ICSC, is a proprietary model and web platform that allows users to visualize rooftop solar installations and estimate existing solar capacity across the Philippines. Launched today in Quezon City, the event gathered [...]
Lighting the Way: Renewable Energy in Eastern Visayas
by Sophia Kaye Fernandez Editor’s Note: Sophia is currently a Communications Officer for Media and Events at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, stationed at the organization’s Eastern Visayas office. We are usually taught to be afraid of the dark. But for me, it was something I grew up expecting. Blackouts were a constant during my childhood, like an unwanted but inevitable guest. The glow of the kerosene lamps illuminated some holidays, and our shadows entertained us when the world seemingly paused and was eerily silent. There were no LED string lights, loud singing from [...]
EPT goes to Iloilo: Learning from the Philippines’ solar pioneers
by Rebecca Carmela Cruz Editor’s Note: Becca Cruz is a Senior Data Analyst with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities. Last February 12, our Energy Policy Team—the coolest team ever—joined Iloilo Provincial Board Member Rolando Distura on a ‘Lakbay Aral’ across Iloilo to witness firsthand its remarkable solar projects and initiatives. These efforts were among the key reasons the province was recognized as the pioneer and sole awardee of the Sustainable Awards for the Local Government Unit Category in December last year. True enough, we saw how solar energy is being utilized to improve lives, providing local communities [...]