The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Resilience Council-Foundation, Inc. (NRF) to strengthen disaster resilience among electric cooperatives (ECs) and the communities they serve.

The agreement, formalized on March 30, 2026 in Pasay City, aims to enhance the capacity of ECs in disaster preparedness, climate adaptation, and infrastructure resilience, particularly in vulnerable and typhoon-prone areas.

The partnership is expected to benefit more than 16 million member-consumer-owners (MCOs) and over 68 million Filipinos nationwide, as both organizations work to safeguard power distribution systems across the country.

PHILRECA said the initiative comes at a critical time as climate-related events continue to increase in frequency and intensity, posing risks to the stability of power supply, especially in rural areas. As frontliners in rural electrification, ECs play a vital role in ensuring communities remain powered during emergencies and post-disaster recovery efforts.

“We affirm that our partnership with the NRF will synergize both institutions in proliferating disaster-preparedness and rehabilitation, directly benefiting more than 16 million MCOs and communities across the archipelago,” said Atty. Janeene Depay-Colingan.

For its part, the NRF emphasized the importance of working closely with PHILRECA to strengthen resilience at the grassroots level, where interventions are most needed.

The MOU marks the start of joint initiatives between the two organizations, including training programs, resilience benchmarking, policy development, and knowledge-sharing activities aimed at improving the institutional and operational capabilities of ECs.

Through these efforts, the partnership seeks to promote a more proactive and coordinated approach to disaster resilience, helping ensure that power systems remain operational and recover more quickly during disruptions. 

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