The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (PHILRECA) is calling on the national government to allocate sufficient and equitable funding for its member-cooperatives’ electrification initiatives to achieve the goal of 100-percent rural electrification by 2028.
PHILRECA, the national organization for electric cooperatives (ECs), said that accelerating the country’s electrification rate requires funds to energize more than 1.386 million unserved households nationwide before the 2028 deadline.
“While the Philippines has made significant strides toward total electrification through the Sitio Electrification Program [SEP] implemented by ECs, challenges remain in reaching communities considered as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas [GIDAs],” said PHILRECA executive director and general-manager Janeene Depay-Colingan.
The ECs face major hurdles, including difficult terrain, limited infrastructure, high project costs and logistical constraints, which require innovative and coordinated solutions, she said.
PHILRECA, in partnership with the National Electrification Administration (NEA), are implementing focused initiatives such as strengthening government partnerships, optimizing funding mechanisms, deploying modular and renewable energy solutions in off-grid areas and enhancing ECs’ technical capacities. By leveraging technology and innovative project models, PHILRECA aims to ensure both sustainability and affordability for its member-consumer-owners.
The association is also developing a program with its EC allied organizations (ECAOs) to address the electrification challenges in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Depay-Colingan said the BARMM region demands a multifaceted strategy and strengthened government intervention, prompting a holistic, sector-wide approach to be presented to the NEA, Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and Department of Energy (DOE) in the coming months.
PHILRECA said collective action from all stakeholders—government, industry and civil society—is essential to achieving full electrification across the archipelago, ensuring all households gain access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity.
 urges the national government to provide sufficient funding to energize over 1.386 million households and achieve 100 percent rural electrification by 2028, detailing the challenges in remote areas.){kind=link}