THE Department of Energy (DOE) has identified an initial 369 unserved and underserved areas in 23 provinces that could benefit more than 100,000 unenergized households through future microgrid development under the Microgrid Systems Act (MGSA).
Based on DOE’s initial list, the 101,468 unenergized households are located in Antique, Basilan, Bohol, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Davao Occidental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Lanao del Sur, Marinduque, Masbate, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Palawan, Quezon, Southern Leyte, Sulu, Surigao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Samar, and Zamboanga del Sur.
The list remains subject to further validation, updating, and final determination by the DOE.
By providing the initial list ahead of competitive selection process (CSP) rounds, the DOE aims to give prospective investors early visibility to conduct technical assessments and plan investments.
Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said microgrid development is an important part of the government’s effort to bring reliable electricity to communities that remain beyond the reach of adequate power services.
‘For families in remote and last-mile communities, electricity means more than keeping the lights on. It supports education, livelihoods, health services, communications, and economic opportunity.
Through microgrid development, we want to bring reliable and affordable electricity closer to communities that remain unserved, while giving capable investors a clear pathway to help us deliver it,’ Garin said.
The initiative forms part of the DOE’s continuing implementation of the revised implementing rules (RIRR) of the Microgrid Systems Act under Department Circular 2025-04-0007, which seeks to improve the efficiency, transparency, and investor responsiveness of the competitive selection framework for microgrid development.
The DOE also said it has partnered with the United Kingdom’s Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) program to improve project readiness and reduce development risks for microgrids.
Under this initiative, a site-specific assessment framework has been developed to support pre-feasibility studies and evaluate prospective projects.
A detailed validation has already been completed for 10 unserved areas in Camarines Sur and Palawan.
A second phase of technical assistance is underway to assess and validate an additional 15 to 25 unserved and underserved areas.
The DOE stressed that the published list of areas is subject to updates, removals, or reclassifications based on new technical data, stakeholder inputs, and alignment with the National Total Electrification Roadmap.
For areas excluded from the CSP rounds, the DOE said these can still be electrified via unsolicited proposals, and authorized entities can independently assess outside opportunities.