Energy transition and climate advocates have criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ‘s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), urging the administration to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action against fossil fuel reliance and high power costs.

The Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) decried the President’s framing of climate disasters as the “new normal,” calling it “an admission of the administration’s lack of will to properly address the impacts brought about by the climate crisis.”

Krishna Ariola, CEED’s Energy and Climate Program Head, pointed to the government’s ongoing support for fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, despite its professed renewable energy ambitions. “Despite his proclamations on renewable energy, the prioritization of natural gas has been clear throughout the first half of his administration, with the recent approval of the Philippine Natural Gas Industry Development Act welcoming the gas industry with open arms,” she said in an official statement.

Ariola emphasized that “Marcos’ ‘new normal’ only serves energy industry giants that will interpret it as a green light to continue with business-as-usual.” She urged the President to pursue “rapid emission cuts that can only be achieved by phasing out fossil fuel reliance, and raising our ambitions for renewable energy.”

Meanwhile, the Power for People Coalition (P4P) welcomed the President’s frank acknowledgment of the power sector’s persistent issues, including high costs, outages, and insufficient service, but criticized the lack of real change after three years in office.

“President Marcos hit the mark… but acknowledgement is pointless if the root cause of power woes—reliance on costly and unsustainable energy from fossil fuels—stays the status quo,” said Gerry Arances, P4P Convenor.

Arances cautioned against any inclusion of coal and gas in the 200 new power plants Marcos mentioned, stating it would “tie us to decades more of problems.” Instead, he called for prioritizing solar and other renewable energy sources, “implemented in a manner that prioritizes direct benefits for consumers and communities.”

P4P also supported the President’s call to hold accountable the Villar-owned power firm in blackout-plagued Siquijor, but pushed for broader scrutiny. “It makes no sense not to extend this same attention to other players. Case in point is the country’s biggest distribution utility Meralco,” Arances said, warning against price manipulation due to its growing role in both distribution and generation.

Both CEED and P4P pressed for stronger leadership from energy regulators and a shift toward community-centered policies that prioritize affordability, climate action, and energy access.

What do you think? Is the government’s “new normal” strategy helping or hurting the energy sector? Join the discussion.

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