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Northern Samar has been recognized as the country’s leading local government in renewable energy (RE) after clinching the top honor in the LGU category of the Sustainable Energy Awards 2025.
Conferred annually by the Department of Energy (DOE), the award cited the provincial government’s strong leadership and sustained efforts to promote clean and sustainable power initiatives, underscoring its growing role in advancing the national RE agenda.
Recognition came in writing for the province, as the DOE notified Governor Harris Christopher Ongchuan in a letter that the province was chosen for its “strong and sustained commitment to creating an enabling environment for the deployment of renewable energy within its jurisdiction.”
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Northern Samar’s notable achievements
The DOE’s Sustainable Energy Awards selection committee pointed to several landmark initiatives that distinguished Northern Samar, foremost among them its pioneering adoption of a green-lane policy for RE investments—the first of its kind at the provincial level in the Philippines.
Designed to accelerate project approvals without compromising environmental safeguards, the policy streamlines processes while upholding sustainability standards, positioning the province as a model for balancing development and environmental responsibility.
According to John Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office, the national recognition affirms the province’s contribution to the country’s clean energy goals and reflects the growing trust of RE in the area. He said these gains were rooted in the bio-circular-green economy pursued under former governor Edwin Ongchuan from 2022 to 2025, a direction that Governor Harris Ongchuan continues while also prioritizing health, climate change adaptation, and employment.
“Northern Samar set its sights on establishing a bio-circular-green economy. Now, Governor Harris Ongchuan is continuing this effort and has added health, climate change adaptation, and opportunities for work and employment as priorities,” Berbon stated.
Berbon also highlighted how Northern Samar’s energy mix has broadened in recent years, pointing to a growing pipeline of clean power projects. The province now hosts a hydroelectric plant supplying more affordable electricity to the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative, alongside three proposed solar farms, a pioneering tidal energy project—the first in Southeast Asia—and a newly proposed waste-to-energy facility.
In addition, Northern Samar is advancing wind power, with one onshore wind project already under development or construction and three more in the pre-development stage. These initiatives reflect the province’s deliberate focus on environmentally responsible development.
Several large-scale energy projects are now taking shape. Among them is the 3.18-megawatt (MW) Northern Samar Hydroelectric Power Project in San Isidro, which is already helping lower power costs and improve supply stability. Wind energy developments are also gaining momentum, led by the 206.25-megawatt San Isidro Wind Power Project of Lihangin Wind Energy Corp., which recently secured grid-connection clearance and is targeting commercial operations by February 2026.
Further expanding the province’s renewable pipeline is the Gemini Wind Power Project, a 304-MW investment by Vena Energy valued at P20.2 billion and spanning 15 municipalities, with commissioning expected by December 2026. Looking offshore, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is advancing a 650-MW offshore wind project that remains in the pre-development stage, with environmental and seabed studies currently underway.
The province’s strong environmental focus also bolstered its bid for national recognition of its geological sites and its ongoing efforts to achieve UNESCO Geopark status.
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A closer look at the Green Lane Policy
This year, Northern Samar made history as the first local government in the Philippines to institutionalize a dedicated “green lane policy.”. Governor Edwin Ongchuan signed Ordinance No. 7 on June 13 during the province’s 60th founding anniversary investment forum, with investors and development partners in attendance.
Conceptualized by Ongchuan and executed by the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office, the policy aims to position Northern Samar as a competitive hub for RE and strategic projects. “This is more than an efficiency upgrade. It is a deliberate shift toward a pro-investment governance model that values responsiveness, accountability, and sustainability,” Ongchuan said.
The green lane policy streamlines bureaucracy by reducing delays, enabling simultaneous permit processing, and granting the provincial government authority to fast-track strategic projects, particularly in RE. Beyond procedural improvements, it offers a suite of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, including exemptions from business and real property taxes, permit fee waivers, marketing support, investor servicing, and aftercare programs.
The initiative has earned national and international recognition. President Marcos highlighted the policy twice as a model for ease of doing business, while global institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank endorsed it as a potential blueprint for other local governments, demonstrating Northern Samar’s rising stature as a forward-looking, investor-friendly province.
Sources:
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1264678
https://www.leytesamardailynews.com/north-samar-named-national-champion-for-renewable-energy-push/
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2073181/northern-samar-establishes-green-lane-policy