Solar power firm gets franchise for Philippines remote areas

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has signed into law a bill granting a 25-year franchise to a solar company controlled by the son of Antique Rep. Loren Legarda. ?

Republic Act 11357, which grants Solar Para sa Bayan (SPSB) Corp. a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain distributed energy resources and microgrids in remote areas in the country, was signed into law on Wednesday, according to Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Secretary Adelino Sitoy.

SPSB is owned by Leandro Leviste, president of Solar Philippines and son of Legarda.

The law allows the solar firm to serve remote, unviable, unserved or underserved areas in Aklan, Aurora, Bohol, Cagayan, Camiguin, Capiz, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Guimaras, Isabela, Masbate, Misamis Occidental, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Tawi-Tawi and parts of Batangas and Quezon. ?

In a statement, SPSB thanked Duterte for giving new choices for electricity to Filipinos in unserved and underserved areas.

“This is not for us but the Filipino people, and we owe it to the consumers who fought for this to deliver the service they have long deserved,” it said. “We also wish to extend an olive branch to those who once opposed this bill, for us to support the DOE’s goal of achieving 100 percent electrification and ending energy poverty in the Philippines by 2022. It is time for us to join forces and work together for the common good.”

According to the DOE, 12 million Filipinos lack electricity and millions more lack 24/7 electricity. When asked for his top priority for the rest of his term, DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said: “Our battle cry is to provide electricity for all.”

Since 2017, SPSB has brought 24/7 power to 12 towns for the first time, benefiting over 200,000 Filipinos, in regions including MIMAROPA, Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Central Visayas, and Davao, without any government subsidy. The company was inspired by President Duterte’s call for the private sector to take initiative in ending energy poverty in the Philippines by 2022.

Congress approved House Bill 8179 on June 4 with amendments such as limited scope, limited technology, regulation, obligations and penalties, and subsidy.