The energy is there. Now, the wire must follow.
Northern Samar is on the brink of becoming a key player in the Philippines’ clean energy transition, thanks to its growing offshore wind potential.
With multiple wind projects in early development and favorable environmental conditions, the province is drawing attention from renewable energy developers.
However, as local officials and energy advocates agree, the lack of sufficient grid infrastructure threatens to keep these ambitions grounded.
In a media forum held as part of the CASE for Southeast Asia Project’s energy transition roadshow, representatives from government, civil society, and the renewable energy sector converged to tackle one of the most pressing barriers to scaling up renewable energy in Eastern Visayas: transmission.
As of April 2025, the Department of Energy (DOE) has granted five service contracts for wind energy development in Northern Samar.
Four of these projects are in pre-development, signaling strong early interest from investors.
Jay Keenson Acebuche, head of the Northern Samar Provincial Planning and Development Office, said that the local government is actively working to improve investor support by streamlining permitting processes and strengthening coordination across municipalities.
“We are making it easier for developers to navigate bureaucracy. But at the end of the day, transmission is the real challenge,” Acebuche emphasized.
“No matter how ready we are locally, no matter how much capital is available—if the grid can’t handle it, the energy cannot flow.”
This infrastructure bottleneck was also raised by Ann Margret Francisco, Philippines Country Manager of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
She cited the World Bank’s Philippines Offshore Wind Roadmap, which estimates that the country has an offshore wind potential of 178 gigawatts (GW).
Among the most promising sites are the Pacific-facing provinces, including Northern Samar.
“The country has the wind resources,” Francisco said, “but integrating more renewable energy into the grid means upgrading our transmission systems. Otherwise, we risk generating power that can’t reach consumers.”
This challenge becomes even more urgent in light of the DOE’s latest Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP).
Its fifth round includes an installation target of 3.3 GW of offshore wind capacity—marking the country’s boldest step yet in the energy transition.
However, these targets are only as meaningful as the infrastructure backing them. The fourth round already committed 2.39 GW for onshore wind, adding further pressure on an already constrained grid.
Francis Dela Cruz, Partnerships and Advocacy Advisor at the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), argued that a just and effective energy transition must involve collaboration across sectors—including government, private developers, civil society, and the media.
“Transmission planning cannot be done in isolation. Local governments must be included in the conversation. Communities need to understand the benefits and risks. The media must help make energy issues more accessible,” he said.
“This is not just about installing wind turbines—it’s about building a system that can sustain them.”
At the grassroots level, community involvement is also growing. Dr. Ronelie Salvador, Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Aquaculture and Agri-based Innovations (CenSAAI), stressed the importance of building awareness among fisherfolk and coastal residents.
“Renewable energy development, especially offshore wind, intersects with the livelihoods of many local communities. We need to organize, inform, and empower them to engage in this transition,” she said.
The Media Kapihan session in Tacloban was part of a broader four-day event titled “The Road to Renewables: Conversations on Energy Transition.” Organized by CASE Philippines, the roadshow aims to surface local challenges and spotlight community perspectives in the development of renewable energy projects not just in Eastern Visayas but all across the country.
For Northern Samar, the promise is real: strong wind resources, investor interest, and local government support. But without a corresponding investment in transmission infrastructure, the province risks watching opportunity pass it by.
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