Church, gov’t, biz leaders gather for renewable energy investment summit
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Church, government and business leaders are set to convene on Thursday, April 30, for the first-ever Renew Mindoro Investments Summit, an initiative aimed at accelerating renewable energy (RE) development on the island and addressing its persistent power shortage.
The summit, to be held at the Divine Word College of Calapan (DWCC), will bring together investors, financiers, local government units, Church institutions and civil society groups to unlock investments and build a pipeline of renewable energy projects across Mindoro.
Among the key highlights is the awarding of bids for six solarization projects under the Diocese of Calapan, signaling concrete steps toward expanding clean energy infrastructure in the province.
Organizers will also announce the launch of the Verde Island Passage Renewable Energy Investment Fund, envisioned to support RE projects in one of the world’s most biodiverse marine corridors.
The one-day event will feature three sectoral panel discussions involving community representatives, renewable energy practitioners, and financing institutions.
A ceremonial “Light Switch-on Relay” will also be held to symbolize a unified commitment from various sectors to transition toward sustainable energy.
The summit is convened by the Diocesan Social Action Center (DSAC) of the Diocese of Calapan and the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).
Expected participants include Bishop Moises Cuevas of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor, Reps. Arnan Panaligan and Alfonso Umali, Vice Gov. Jojo Perez, and ORMECO General Manager Humphrey Dolor.
Church leaders and energy advocates such as Caritas Philippines President Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and DSAC Executive Director Fr. Edwin Gariguez, who will deliver the keynote address, are also set to attend.
Representatives from national agencies, including the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, and National Electrification Administration, have also been invited, along with financing institutions such as the Development Bank of the Philippines and private sector partners.
Running alongside the summit is the REnew Mindoro Fair, a public exhibit where households, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and institutions can directly engage with renewable energy providers and financing groups.
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The fair opens on April 30 at the DWCC lobby and will continue from May 1 to 3 at Xentro Mall Calapan.
Organizers said the summit comes at a critical time, as Mindoro continues to grapple with high electricity costs and frequent outages, with some areas experiencing up to 18-hour blackouts.
Despite these challenges, the island has renewable energy potential estimated at 320 times its current peak demand.
“The summit marks a shift from advocacy to acceleration,” organizers said, expressing hope that the gathering will result in concrete investment commitments and project rollouts for a more sustainable and reliable energy future in Mindoro
The DSAC is the social action arm of the Diocese of Calapan, implementing the Church’s integral ecology agenda in Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and Marinduque.
It leads the REnew Mindoro campaign and the Diocese Renewable Energy Transition Plan, anchored on Laudato Si’.
CEED is a civil society organization conducting research, advocacy, and community partnerships for an ecologically just, people-centered energy transition.
CEED produced the Pandang Gitab ng Mindoro scoping paper — the primary research foundation for the Summit — and serves as co-convenor of the REnew Mindoro Investments Summit. /jpv
