Filipinos push affordable rooftop solar

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Nearly all Filipinos want the government to make rooftop solar more affordable, according to a new nationwide Pulse Asia survey that showed strong public support for policies aimed at lowering electricity costs and strengthening energy security.

The survey found that 93% of respondents believe the government should act to make rooftop solar more affordable.

The poll also showed widespread concern over the country’s energy situation, with 97% of respondents saying they are concerned about current energy challenges.

It found that 77% of respondents recognized the Philippines’ continued dependence on imported oil, coal, and natural gas.

When asked about long-term solutions, 66% identified expanding renewable energy as the most effective approach.

Among renewable energy measures, making rooftop solar affordable emerged as the public’s highest priority, according to the survey.

The results suggest that the main barrier is no longer convincing Filipinos of rooftop solar’s benefits, but making the technology financially accessible to more households.

The survey showed strong support for decentralized solar power across several measures.

It found that 93% of respondents said rising electricity demand makes affordable rooftop solar increasingly necessary.

Another 93% said a mainstream transition to rooftop solar is entirely achievable if citizens have access to the right information.

The survey also found that 91% of respondents said widespread adoption is viable if affordable financing options are made available.

Amid rising electricity costs, 85% of respondents now view rooftop solar as a necessity rather than a luxury.

The finding points to a shift in how many Filipinos see rooftop solar: not as a premium technology, but as a practical tool for managing household power bills.

“These findings send a clear policy signal: Filipinos are not rejecting solar energy; they are asking for the conditions that would allow them to access it,” said Alberto Dalusung III, Energy Transition Advisor for the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC).

“Rooftop solar can help consumers manage electricity costs, participate more actively in the energy system, and strengthen national energy security by reducing dependence on imported fuels.”

Brenda Valerio, Philippines Country Director of New Energy Nexus, said financing remains one of the biggest hurdles to wider adoption.

“The demand is already there; what many Filipino families need now is structural access,” Valerio noted. “By expanding affordable financing options—from specialized solar loans and installment plans to leasing models and partnerships with financial institutions—we can make clean energy inclusive. The transition shouldn’t be limited to those who can afford the upfront costs; it must be within reach of every Filipino family.”

Industry groups said the local solar sector is ready to meet stronger demand, but policy and market barriers continue to raise costs.

“The consumer interest and technology readiness are already present, yet taxes, fees, heavy administrative processes, financing gaps, and coordination challenges still make rooftop solar harder and more expensive to adopt,” explained Jose Rafael Mendoza, President of the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA).

Mendoza called for clearer policies and synchronized execution among government bodies, utilities, and industry players to accelerate rooftop solar deployment.

Chuck Baclagon, Senior Advisor for Communications and Campaigns of 350 Pilipinas, said high electricity bills have become a monthly burden for millions of households.

“We are living through an energy emergency that millions of Filipino families experience every month through rising electricity bills,” Baclagon said. “This survey sends a clear message: 93% of Filipinos are ready to embrace rooftop solar, but high upfront costs remain the biggest barrier. The government must act now by removing the VAT on solar technology and expanding access to affordable financing. With strong public support already in place, we must organize and work together to turn this demand into real action—bringing down electricity costs, strengthening our energy security, and accelerating the country’s clean energy transition.”

The groups said immediate fiscal and regulatory measures could help speed up rooftop solar adoption.

These include removing the Value-Added Tax on solar technologies to lower upfront costs, improving net-metering implementation to fairly compensate consumers for excess power fed back to the grid, and streamlining and digitizing permitting processes to reduce bureaucratic delays.

Net metering allows qualified power users with renewable energy systems to export excess electricity to the grid and receive credits on their electricity bills, a mechanism the Department of Energy has been working to streamline through whole-of-government action.

The DOE has also sought comments on proposed rules for self-generating zero-export solar systems and micro-solar systems for own use, reflecting ongoing efforts to clarify regulations for rooftop and small-scale solar installations.

The survey results come as rising power prices have pushed more Filipino consumers and businesses to consider rooftop solar as a way to manage electricity bills.

Reuters reported in June that the Philippines had become one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for solar panel demand amid soaring power costs, with solar panel imports reaching USD 407 million in the three months through May, up 145% from a year earlier.

The same report said residential power prices in the Philippines are among the highest in Southeast Asia, while solar still accounts for under 4% of national power consumption.

The Pulse Asia survey underscores a broad public consensus that rooftop solar affordability has become an urgent policy issue.

Advocates said administrative and legislative policymakers should respond by advancing reforms that would make rooftop solar accessible to millions of Filipino households.