Marcos admin still far from 200-power plant goal by 2028
Only 31 projects out of the new 200 power generation assets President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. committed to switch on by 2028 have been fired up so far, the country’s energy secretary said.
Department of Energy (DOE) chief Sharon Garin said the agency was thus fast-tracking the construction of the remaining power facilities.
This was according to her speech delivered by DOE undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella at the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines’ energy forum on Tuesday.
But the government may have to exert more effort to realize Marcos’ goal, as Garin noted that only 31 projects had been activated as of end-March.
These facilities are mostly renewable energy facilities, such as solar, hydro and biomass plants.
She did not provide additional figures or status on the remaining projects.
In his State of the Nation Address in 2025, Marcos said his administration would deploy 200 power facilities, noting that around three million households still did not have electricity.
“Brownouts remain frequent and electricity prices remain high. That’s why we are working faster to connect more homes and strengthen the capacity of our power generators,” he said at that time.
Once these power plants are online, Marcos said they could provide electricity to four million households, or to more than 200,000 factories.
Investor-friendly
Garin said the agency had been “creating a more competitive and investor-friendly” power sector. Steps include the liberalization of renewable energy investments, streamlining of permitting processes, as well as issuance of policies backing microgrids, energy storage systems, offshore wind development and transmission.
It has also been conducting green energy auctions to encourage more industry players to build clean power assets not just in Luzon but also in the other two main islands, the Visayas and Mindanao.
Garin said the agency had so far awarded 20 gigawatts (GW) worth of contracts from the previous waves of green energy auctions.
The government is intensifying efforts to ensure the country will source half of its power generation from renewables by 2040, with new auction rounds eyed to secure 20 GW of additional capacity.
At present, renewables’ share in the electricity mix is at 25 percent, still short of the 35-percent goal in five years.
