Media networks reported on May 3 that some lawmakers proposed looking into unregistered or informal solar installers over safety and regulatory compliance concerns.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
View all posts by Cristina Eloisa Baclig
Solar panel installation composite image. PHOTO: PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
May 6, 2026
MANILA – Calls to investigate so-called “guerrilla” solar installers have renewed attention on how the Philippines manages access to energy, particularly as more households turn to alternative sources amid high electricity costs.
Media networks reported May 3 that some lawmakers proposed looking into unregistered or informal solar installers over safety and regulatory compliance concerns.
The proposal has drawn mixed reactions, with some stakeholders raising questions about whether tighter oversight could affect the pace of renewable energy adoption, particularly at the household level.
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For University of the Philippines Diliman professor and Inquirer data scientist Dr. Rogelio Alicor Panao, the discussion points to a broader tension shaping the country’s energy landscape.
“Recent calls for Congress to investigate ‘guerrilla’ solar installers highlight the friction between monopoly control and energy democratization,” he said, noting how the framing of the issue can influence both policy direction and public perception.
He added that the language used to describe these installers may carry unintended implications.
“While framed as a safety concern, the ‘guerrilla’ label not only unfairly stigmatizes citizens seeking relief from some of Asia’s highest electricity rates, but also casts doubt on motive since monopolies stand to gain the most when decentralized competition is strictly curtailed,” he said.
Untapped potential and structural barriers
Data from the World Bank reinforces the idea that the country’s challenge is not a lack of solar resources. The Philippines posts a practical photovoltaic potential (PVOUT) of 3.93 kWh per kWp per day—placing it in the midrange globally but among the stronger performers in Southeast Asia.
As Panao pointed out, “Our solar potential is nearly 10% higher than Vietnam’s (3.55) and is neck-and-neck with Thailand (4.06).”
Yet this relative advantage has not translated into widespread adoption. Looking at broader development patterns, Panao noted that countries with strong solar potential often face structural constraints that limit their ability to capitalize on it.
“The data also reveals a negative correlation (-0.43) between solar potential and the Human Development Index (HDI), indicating that nations with the most to gain from solar often face the highest systemic barriers,” he said.
In the Philippines, where the HDI stands at around 0.70, these constraints take on added significance.
“For the Philippines, where the HDI is approximately 0.70, solar is not a luxury but a critical tool for development that remains capped by a regulatory environment seemingly designed to preserve the status quo,” he said.
Rather than viewing the issue solely through enforcement, Panao’s analysis points to policy gaps that shape both large-scale and small-scale adoption. If the goal is to expand access to solar energy, he said, reforms will need to address bottlenecks across the system.
“If Congress is truly serious about tapping the Philippines’ solar potential, it can explore the following as policy actions,” he said, outlining measures that range from streamlining approvals to supporting decentralized systems.
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Among these is the need to ease permitting for utility-scale projects by establishing administrative “one-stop shops” and enforcing strict processing timeframes to eliminate the red tape that continues to stall large-scale deployment.
At the same time, Panao underscored the importance of ensuring that smaller producers—now an increasingly visible part of the energy mix—are supported rather than constrained.
“Second, it should establish a balanced policy environment for distributed photovoltaic systems that protects small-scale producers rather than penalizing them,” he said.
In an archipelagic country like the Philippines, decentralized systems take on added importance, particularly in expanding access to areas beyond the reach of traditional grids.
“Third, the government must support the adoption of decentralized off-grid and mini-grid systems, which are the most cost-effective way to bring power to remote island communities and provide urban backup,” he said.
Sustaining that momentum, Panao said, will depend not only on expanding access but also on keeping solar technologies affordable and better integrated into the grid.
“Finally, by maintaining the cost-reduction trajectory for solar components and supporting the development of smarter inverter systems for better grid integration, the Philippines can transition solar energy from a marginalized, unregulated activity into a primary energy right for every citizen, ensuring that clean power is accessible to the public rather than restricted by dominant market interests,” he said.
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