Energy regulators and government agencies have joined forces with youth advocates to strengthen public participation in the Philippines’ shift toward cleaner and more inclusive energy systems, as stakeholders gathered in Manila for a climate and energy education workshop over the weekend.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), together with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), partnered with Youth for Energy Southeast Asia (Y4E-SEA) for the Italy-IRENA Action for Climate Toolkit (I ACT) Workshop held on Saturday, 23 May 2026.

The initiative brought together youth leaders from various organizations and focused on equipping participants with tools to understand and act on climate and energy challenges. The I ACT program is a global capacity-building platform aimed at developing peer educators on energy transition and climate issues.

Sessions covered topics ranging from climate and renewable energy fundamentals to just and inclusive energy transitions, with emphasis on youth engagement in shaping energy policy and awareness.

In her presentation, ERC Market Operations Service (MOS) Director Sharon O. Montañer outlined key regulatory initiatives supporting renewable energy expansion and market reform.

Ms. Montañer also highlighted the growing role of consumer participation in the evolving energy sector through programs such as RCOA, the Retail Aggregation Program, and the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which allow consumers to choose their electricity suppliers and access renewable energy options. 

She emphasized that these initiatives promote greater customer choice, sustainability, and a more competitive and consumer-centered energy industry, while encouraging the public, particularly the youth, to become active participants in shaping the country’s energy future.

The ERC said the collaboration underscores its push to broaden public understanding of market reforms such as Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA), net-metering, and distributed energy resources as the country scales up renewable energy integration.

By engaging youth stakeholders alongside energy and environmental agencies, the initiative signals growing institutional support for participatory approaches in the Philippines’ energy transition agenda.

As distributed generation, consumer choice programs, and renewable energy uptake continue to expand, regulators are increasingly positioning public education and stakeholder engagement as part of long-term market transformation.

What do you think—can youth-led energy literacy meaningfully accelerate the Philippines’ energy transition, or is policy reform still the main bottleneck?

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