A consumer advocacy group in Mindanao is urging a swift transition to cleaner energy sources, emphasizing that such a move is vital to building resilient communities in the face of intensifying climate-related disasters.
Civil society organizations in Cagayan de Oro and across Northern Mindanao have expressed their willingness to partner with government agencies to accelerate the region’s shift toward renewable energy.
“There are low-hanging fruits in Mindanao’s energy transition,” said BenCyrus Ellorin, head of Consumers for Renewable Energy Action in Mindanao (CREAM).
He pointed out that the island’s historically clean and affordable hydropower base has only recently given way to coal and diesel over the past nine years. CREAM also stressed that true resilience requires more than disaster preparedness—it also means strengthening local economies against extreme weather events.
Ellorin noted that industries and businesses in resource-rich Mindanao are burdened by high electricity costs, with energy expenses comprising 20% to 50% of their operational budgets, largely due to heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels such as coal.
(Also read: NEA Allots ₱3.6B for Mindanao Electrification Drive)
Agus-Pulangi upgrade vital for energy transition
One key proposal supported by local stakeholders to address high energy costs is the rehabilitation and capacity upgrade of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complex (APHC).
Al Brito, president of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce, underscored the urgency of rehabilitating and upgrading the APHC. He noted that doing so could attract greater investment by helping bring down electricity costs.
“High electricity prices are driving away investors, depriving Mindanaoans of opportunities to earn decent jobs,” Brito said.
(Also read: Agus hydro rehab could include third plant)
Solar and pumped hydro to optimize energy output
As part of broader efforts to reduce power costs and promote renewable energy in Mindanao, Greenergy Development Corporation, in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP), has proposed the Energy Storage Project.
The initiative integrates solar and hydropower to help conserve water in Lake Lanao—the primary source for the Agus hydropower plants serving Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Iligan City.
“Solar power generated during daytime can be used to naturally store water in Lake Lanao, which would provide cheap electricity at nighttime and during the dry season,” said Engineer Cerael C. Donggay, developer of the Hybrid Economic Dispatch (HED) technology and president and CEO of Greenergy.
He noted that the technology is designed to enhance the performance of the Agus hydropower plants, which currently produce about 500 megawatts—well below their 800-megawatt peak capacity—due to aging infrastructure.
Donggay also emphasized the potential of combining solar energy with a pumped hydro system, where water is returned to the lake rather than discharged. This method, he said, could boost generation by an additional 200 to 400 megawatts.
(Also read: Lighting up Mindanao: A Grassroots Push for Solar Power)
Making renewable energy accessible and affordable
David Tauli, director of the Institute of Power Sector Economics and a member of Konsumanteng Kagayanon, highlighted ongoing efforts to achieve renewable energy parity by 2030 through the implementation of Electricity Decarbonization Programs (EDPs). These programs aim to make renewable energy more accessible by enabling consumers to gradually switch their current supply from coal power to rooftop solar. The goal is to involve at least 10 million households by 2030.
In a policy brief released earlier this month, Konsumanteng Kagayanon outlined its target of reaching a 50% to 60% share of renewable energy in the power mix by 2030, emphasizing the need to make green energy as affordable as traditional sources.
Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FFdWGCi6E/
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1255073
https://powerphilippines.com/advocates-call-for-urgent-shift-to-hydro-solar-in-mindanao/
https://mindanaogoldstardaily.com/archives/151413
https://businessweekmindanao.com/mindanao-groups-seek-renewable-energy-growth/
