By Monsi A. Serrano
The United Kingdom and the Philippines marked a major milestone in their climate collaboration with the official launch of the Philippines Country Fund under the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) programme in Manila. The initiative aims to accelerate the country’s renewable energy and clean energy transition through technical assistance, capacity-building, and policy support.
In its first year, the Philippines-UK PACT Country Fund has prioritized the energy sector, supporting the Philippines’ goal to reduce and avoid 75% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Fund also aligns with the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050, which targets a 35% renewable energy share in power generation by 2030, 50% by 2040, and renewable energy dominating the energy mix by 2050. Key early interventions include improving offshore wind pricing models, assessing infrastructure readiness, strengthening marine spatial planning for sustainable offshore wind, developing an electric power system cost simulation tool, and expanding microgrid deployment to underserved communities to drive inclusive economic growth.
The launch and workshop brought together government agencies, development partners, academia, civil society, and the private sector to align on programme goals, share technical expertise, and explore collaboration opportunities.
Meanwhile, British Ambassador to the Philippines Her Excellency Sarah Hulton, OBE, highlighted the UK’s commitment to supporting the Philippines’ clean energy transition. Ambassador Hulton emphasized that the initiative is rooted in shared values and a joint responsibility to build a greener, resilient, and secure future while balancing growth with sustainability and affordability. Drawing on the UK’s experience transitioning from coal to renewable energy, Hulton outlined that UK PACT will support the Philippines in delivering large-scale clean energy projects, particularly offshore wind, expanding microgrid deployment through enhanced data and demand analysis, assisting the Energy Regulatory Commission in developing evidence-based pricing and cost simulation tools, integrating offshore energy solutions with economic activities and biodiversity protection, and building confidence in carbon markets to accelerate decarbonization. She reaffirmed that UK PACT will continue into the next financial year to deepen technical assistance, policy support, and bilateral cooperation.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla highlighted the importance of integrating climate considerations into energy planning: “Our partnership with the UK under UK PACT helps validate marine spatial planning tools, integrate biodiversity and social considerations, and support a mitigation framework that links environmental sensitivity to actionable decisions. Energy security and environmental protection can and must go hand in hand.”
Energy Regulatory Commission Chairperson Francis Saturnino C. Juan praised the transfer of UK expertise to Filipino engineers: “Through the UK PACT programme, the UK is sharing its institutional knowledge on offshore wind, helping our young engineers bridge the gap between ambition and the hard-won wisdom of a mature market.”
Paolo G. Fondevilla, DOE Director of IT and Management Services, on behalf of Secretary Sharon Garin, added: “It is encouraging to see our countries jointly commit to national energy security while sourcing it from clean and sustainable energy.”
As the Philippines-UK PACT Country Fund advances, the partnership aims to strengthen institutions, accelerate renewable energy deployment, and build technical foundations for a just, reliable, and future-ready energy system, turning shared ambition into lasting impact for a cleaner, more resilient, and inclusive energy future.