(in photo above) Stakeholders from various sectors of Eastern Samar province during their discussion of the proposed JET Multi-Stakeholder Committee and prioritization of RE projects.

Multi-sectoral stakeholders from Eastern Samar province in the Philippines during a meeting-workshop facilitated by ICLEI Southeast Asia on 3 September 2024 have banded together to feedback on and recommend a proposed Provincial Just Energy Transition Multi-Stakeholder Committee (JET MSC), as well as shortlist priority renewable energy (RE) projects for the consideration of the Provincial Development Council.  

The stakeholders included Attorney Philip Evardone, Jr., Provincial Board Member and Chairperson of the Provincial Committee on Natural Resources, Environment Protection, and Energy; as well as representatives from the Provincial Governor’s Office; Office of Board Member Stella Libanan and the Liga ng mga Barangay (League of Villages) – Eastern Samar Chapter; Eastern Samar Provincial Planning and Development Office; Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative; National Grid Corporation of the Philippines; Center for the Development of Indigenous Science and Technology, Inc. (SIKAT, Inc.); and Oxfam Pilipinas. 

The just energy transition asserts people and community’s participation to build ownership in identifying, accessing and implementing renewable energy initiatives from national to local levels. 

The JET MSC is envisioned to be composed of representatives from local government units, government agencies, academe, and civil society organizations. It is proposed to lead the formulation of a Local Energy Plan and the implementation of any policy, program, project or activity included in it, especially those relevant to the renewable energy transition, energy accessibility, affordability, and reliability. 

ICLEI Southeast Asia has drafted an executive order for the development of the JET MSC for the consideration and further contextualization of the Eastern Samar Provincial Government. 

Meanwhile, the prioritization of RE projects aims to collaboratively identify potential RE interventions that align with the sectoral representatives’ mutual energy goals. Once a final project has been chosen by the Provincial Development Council, ICLEI Southeast Asia will provide technical support towards the development of a compelling and bankable RE project proposal. 

The meeting-workshop was held as part of the RE-Start Campaign Y3 Project of Oxfam Pilipinas under the technical implementation of ICLEI Southeast Asia. Picking up where Year 2 ended, this year’s campaign aims to encourage the local governments of the Province of Eastern Samar, City of Borongan, and Municipality of Dolores to integrate and allocate resources for their renewable energy plan/roadmap by developing and enacting local renewable energy codes and investment plans—ones that enshrine just energy transition principles.  

The RE-Start Campaign is part of Oxfam Pilipinas’ JET Programme to promote a democratized energy governance system in the Philippines and support local actors to establish an enabling policy and program environment for accelerated RE transformation.