State-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) has extended PHP 800 million in project financing for the rollout of 16 off-grid microgrids across Palawan, a development expected to provide round-the-clock electricity to more than 30,000 people in underserved communities.

The financing will support Archipelago Renewables Corporation (ARC), a special purpose vehicle established by the Maharlika Consortium—composed of WEnergy Global, Maharlika Clean Power Holdings, and CleanGrid Partners—to develop and operate 16 off-grid microgrids in Palawan.

The project covers 14 barangays in Palawan and includes the construction of 175 kilometers of distribution network. Once completed, the microgrids are expected to deliver 24/7 electricity to around 7, 100 households and more than 300 small businesses through hybrid systems combining solar photovoltaic (PV), battery energy storage, and backup diesel generation.

WEnergy Global Founder and CEO Atem S. Ramsundersingh said the transaction shows that off-grid electrification projects can attract financing when lenders and developers work closely to address project realities.

“For me, this is about showing that off-grid electrification can be made bankable when financiers are willing to go to the ground, understand local realities, and work with developers to structure practical financing solutions at sensible transaction cost,” Ramsundersingh said.

“LANDBANK demonstrated exactly that kind of vision and commitment to ‘serving the nation,’ and we are deeply grateful for their leadership and trust,” he added.

In March, the consortium broke ground on its initial Palawan microgrid sites in San Vicente and Rizal towns as part of a planned portfolio of 24 off-grid microgrids across Palawan, Cebu, and Quezon. 

The projects were awarded under the Department of Energy’s Microgrid Systems Service Provider program and are intended to expand electricity access in underserved and unserved communities.

The company said reliable electricity access is expected to support broader economic activity in host communities by enabling the use of electric cooking, cooling, connectivity services and productive-use appliances.

“As households and commercial establishments gain access to stable 24/7 clean power, demand naturally shifts toward electric cooking, cooling, connectivity, and productive-use appliances, replacing more costly and polluting fossil-fuel-based alternatives,” Ramsundersingh said.

“That is how energy access becomes economic progress and enables communities to participate more fully in the country’s economy.”

LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz, Department of Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, and Dutch Ambassador Marielle Geraedts attended the signing ceremony in Manila.

According to Ramsundersingh, the project could help build investor confidence in the country’s off-grid power sector, which WEnergy Global estimates represents a potential market opportunity of about USD 7 billion in the Philippines.

The company said it hopes the financing model can encourage greater participation from development finance institutions and private investors in future off-grid power infrastructure projects.

What are your thoughts on LANDBANK’s role in unlocking financing for off-grid renewable energy projects in the Philippines? Join the discussion.

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