Political Will, Not Wind

The winds of progress are blowing strong across Iloilo, but they are being blocked by walls of red tape. Our province sits on a figurative goldmine of renewable energy—a potential 7 gigawatts of wind power, with dozens of projects and ready investors waiting for the green light.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has confirmed it: the funds are there, the technology is there, and the potential is immense. Yet, this bright, clean-energy future remains stalled, not by technical challenges or a lack of resources, but by what the DOE has diplomatically called its “biggest challenge”: the lack of endorsements from our own Local Government Units (LGUs).

Let’s be clear. This is a failure of local governance. When DOE-Visayas official Lourdes Arciaga states that projects are delayed because of LGU endorsements, particularly when they cross municipal boundaries, it points to a paralyzing lack of coordination and, more importantly, political will. She revealed a critical reason for this paralysis: changes in LGU leadership.

This should concern every Ilonggo. It suggests that projects of profound provincial and national importance—investments that will define our energy landscape for generations—are being held hostage by three-year political cycles. It raises the uncomfortable question: are long-term development plans being shelved or endlessly “reviewed” every time a new mayor takes office, simply because they were initiated by a political predecessor?

While every LGU has the duty to perform due diligence and ensure projects are safe and beneficial for their constituents, the current situation seems to have moved beyond prudent review and into a state of inertia. These are not new, surprising proposals. Some of these projects, like the 990-megawatt East Panay Offshore Wind Project and facilities in Concepcion and Guimbal, have been on the table for years. The time for study should be over, and the time for leadership should have long begun.

The cost of this inaction is staggering. We are not just delaying the construction of wind turbines; we are actively forfeiting immense, tangible benefits for the very communities our local leaders are meant to serve.

Under existing laws, host LGUs are mandated to receive a benefit equivalent to PHP 0.01 per kilowatt-hour of electricity sales. This is not a small sum. This is direct funding for electrification projects in remote barangays, livelihood programs for our people, reforestation of our watersheds, and improvement of local health services. By failing to provide a simple endorsement, our local officials are effectively turning away millions of pesos in dedicated funding that could transform their municipalities.

Furthermore, they are denying their constituents a share of the national wealth and other incentives under the Renewable Energy Act. This is a self-inflicted wound, depriving our province of the economic dynamism that comes with major infrastructure investment—from the creation of local jobs to the stimulation of related service industries. As Ms. Arciaga warned, if things ran smoothly, we might see turbines in ten years. With these delays, when will we see them? In twenty? Ever?

This is more than a local issue; it is a matter of provincial pride and national responsibility. Iloilo is not an isolated island. We have a crucial role to play in securing the Philippines’ energy future and meeting its climate goals. Global experts from the Global Wind Energy Council have highlighted Iloilo’s world-class potential. We have the opportunity to become a powerhouse of clean energy in the Visayas, exporting power and expertise to the rest of the country. Instead, we risk becoming a case study in missed opportunities.

We call on governors, mayors and local legislatures to act. They owe their constituents a transparent explanation for the delays and a clear timeline for their decisions. We also call on the provincial government to step in, not to override local autonomy, but to exercise leadership. The governor must convene the concerned mayors and mediate a path forward to break this gridlock.

The wind is ready. The investors are waiting. The benefits are clear. The only missing element is the political will to sign a piece of paper and unleash our province’s potential. Our leaders must decide if they want to be the architects of a cleaner, more prosperous Iloilo or the custodians of stagnation.