^{In photo: (L-R) Dr. Carlos Buasen Jr., NCIP R4A Regional Director, Mia Jarumayan, Head of Business Development at Vena Energy, Nila Grace Pranada, IPMR Daraitan, Eleonor Atencio, President, Tanay Dumagat Remontado Ancestral Domain Development, Inc., Representatives of Dumagat Remontado ICCs} 

Quezon Wind Energy Corp. (QWEC), a subsidiary of Vena Energy, has completed a second community fund turnover for the Dumagat/Remontado Indigenous Peoples (IPs) of General Nakar, Quezon, formalising another round of support under the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) framework.

The check turnover ceremony, held in Quezon City on May 15, was attended by IP representatives, local leaders, and officials from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in Region 4A, as well as representatives from Vena Energy.

The funds, channelled through the Pigtaanan Ne Dumagat – Remontado De General Nakar, Quezon (PDRGNQ), are intended to support community-defined priorities, including infrastructure, education access, sustainable livelihoods, and healthcare improvements.

Vena Energy said the initiative reflects its broader approach to host community engagement in renewable energy project areas.

“Empowering the Quezon IPs is at the heart of our mission. We are dedicated to ensuring that our green energy initiatives translate into tangible, long-term benefits for the communities that graciously host us, fostering a future built on mutual respect and sustainable progress,” Samrinder Nehria, Head of Vena Energy in the Philippines, said.

The turnover is the second of its kind, following an earlier ceremony on April 21 with the Tanay Dumagat Remontado Indigenous Cultural Communities, as a continuing rollout of community fund releases tied to project development in Quezon.

“The unwavering support from Vena Energy empowers our community to pursue meaningful development while preserving our cultural heritage,” said Mr. Cristobal Azcarraga, President of the Pigtaanan ne Dumagat Remontado de General Nakar Quezon (PDRGNQ), Inc.

“It is inspiring to witness a corporate partner truly value the ancestral domains and the people who protect them. Vena Energy sets a remarkable standard for responsible and inclusive community engagement,”  Dr. Carlos Buasen Jr., National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Region 4A Regional Director, said.

The latest turnover adds to a growing number of renewable energy projects in the Philippines where developers are increasingly tying project legitimacy and continuity to structured benefit-sharing mechanisms with host Indigenous communities.

How should Philippine energy stakeholders assess community fund mechanisms like this—are they primarily a social development tool, a regulatory requirement, or a core component of project viability?

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