The Department of Energy (DOE) said the government needs about P70 billion to achieve 100-percent nationwide electrification by 2028.
The new estimate is lower than the previous projection of P100 billion after further surveys and verification.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the government is optimistic about reaching the goal, which was mandated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“It can be done, depending on the budget… I think the concentration will be more on Mindanao because those are the far-flung places that don’t have electricity yet,” Garin said, adding that much of the new funding would go to Mindanao and electric cooperatives.
The DOE said about 3.08 million households would need an electricity connection by 2028. As of December 2024, 94.75 percent of households, or 27.9 million homes in the country, had electricity access.
To address the remaining gap, the DOE and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) have developed a roadmap focusing on three strategies: microgrids, solarized homes and expanding electric cooperatives.
The DOE plans to launch a competitive selection process for microgrid system providers to reach geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
The initiative aims to provide power to 12,000 households in off-grid areas across several provinces, including Quezon, Camarines Norte and Palawan.
The DOE also said that 2.018 million households already in areas with existing utilities could be connected through regular service applications.
To streamline the process for low-income households, the DOE and NEA are working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to potentially waive fees and simplify the permitting process.
For households in remote and mountainous areas, the DOE will deploy fully subsidized solar home systems, with residents paying only for operation and maintenance.
