Philippines eyes up to ₱27 billion in microgrid auction investments
The Department of Energy has initially identified 369 areas with no electricity or insufficient daily supply.
The Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) expects investments worth up to ₱27 billion from its microgrid auction, with 101,468 homes currently lacking electricity across 23 provinces potentially benefiting.
At the 2026 Philippine Energy Investment Forum, Luningning Baltazar, director of the DOE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, described microgrids as one way to address the difficulties of bringing power to the country’s many islands. The department’s initial assessment identified 369 areas where electricity is either unavailable or inadequate.
Republic Act 11646 makes competitive selection a requirement for providers seeking to supply those communities. It covers areas without power access and those where electricity is available for less than 24 hours daily.
Baltazar said a lack of financing was a major obstacle, with government resources limited and private investors showing weak interest. She said the government does not inject capital into the projects. Technical and regulatory barriers also persist, while dependence on diesel generators has contributed to expensive electricity in some communities.
There are 11 microgrid systems operating in the Philippines, providing electricity to over 9,000 households. Together, they have solar capacity of 2,561 kilowatts, diesel generation capacity of 7,057 kW and battery storage of 2,287 kWh.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin called for investment pathways that would reach homes beyond the main grid. She said microgrid policies support decentralised power systems for isolated communities and those with insufficient electricity.
