ILOILO CITY – The provincial government of Iloilo recently enacted the first renewable energy ordinance in the country.

The Iloilo Provincial Board approved the Iloilo Provincial Ordinance of Renewable Energy of 2022 (I-PORE 2022) as the counterpart for Republic Act No. 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act.
“Aside from reducing consumption, the use of renewable energy contributes to climate change mitigation efforts,” said Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
Initially introduced by Provincial Board Member Rolando “Rolly” Distura, I-PORE mandates barangays and the 42 towns and component city of Passi to identify possible sites for renewable energy projects with incentives.
With the adoption of I-PORE 2022, Defensor said there will be an annual budget for its implementation.
Prior to the passage of I-PORE, the Iloilo provincial government implemented the Development of Renewable Energy Applications Mainstreaming and Market Sustainability (DREAMS) Project at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan.
The hospital managed by the provincial government is the pilot hospital site for DREAMS, a project of the Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
In September 2016, a solar power plant started operating in Miag-ao. The 15-hectare power plant of Cosmo Solar Energy Inc. (CSEI) generates 5.7 megawatt (MWs) of power.
Defensor said the province is also looking into other renewable sources, including the much-awaited hydro-power plant that is an offshoot of the Iloilo mega dam project in Calinog.