The Marcos administration has earmarked nearly ₱193 million to bring electricity to 1,492 households in some of the nation’s most isolated communities. The effort forms part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) initial rollout under its 2025 Locally Funded Project – Total Electrification Program (LFP-TEP), which aims to extend power access to areas that have been left off the grid for a long time.
To kick off the program, the Department of Energy has sealed partnerships with five electric cooperatives (ECs) in Luzon and the Visayas— La Union Electric Cooperative (Luelco), Aurora Electric Cooperative (Aurelco), Quezon II Electric Cooperative (Quezelco II), Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco), and Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (Soleco).
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Urgent electrification
DOE’s flagship initiative pools government resources with the efforts of ECs, utilities, and local partners. The first set of projects will deliver electricity using a blend of on-grid links, microgrid setups, and hybrid systems that integrate renewable energy.
Beneficiary communities were selected in coordination with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to ensure an affordable and dependable power supply.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, who led the signing of the agreements, emphasized that the administration is committed to bringing electricity to every household. She added that the initiative seeks to build an energy framework that can drive economic growth and improve the lives of Filipinos well into the future.
“Total electrification is not just a number to be achieved; it is a social contract that ensures every Filipino, regardless of geography or circumstance, can benefit from the progress our nation is making,” Garin said.
DOE and its partners will carry out the next rounds of electrification projects in stages over the course of 2025.
Guevara noted that hundreds of communities “have long been left behind in our nation’s energy development journey.” Unserved areas still lack any form of electricity, while underserved ones endure a supply limited to only part of the day.
Latest figures from the DOE show that nationwide electrification has reached just about 92 to 93%.
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Government’s energy focus
During his fourth State of the Nation Address in July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his administration’s electrification efforts have connected around 2.5 million households since 2022, bringing down the number of homes still without power to about two million.
“In the next three years, we will complete almost 200 plants,” stated Marcos in Filipino. “These can power four million homes, over 2,000 factories, or nearly 7,000 offices and businesses.” He added that DOE and NEA plan to complete household connections through 2028, focusing on Quezon, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Samar, Negros Occidental, Palawan, and Zamboanga del Sur.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released ₱3.6 billion in July to boost rural electrification, in line with the president’s push for nationwide power access before his term ends.
Sources:
https://manilastandard.net/business/314631912/doe-launches-p193-million-electrification-drive-for-remote-areas.html
