The United Kingdom (UK) and the Philippines have marked a milestone in their climate collaboration with the official launch of the new Philippines Country Fund under the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) programme. Held in Manila, the event underscored both nations’ shared commitment to advancing low-carbon development through technical assistance and institutional capacity-building.
The UK PACT initiative supports partner countries in speeding up their transitions to net-zero economies. In its first year of implementation, the Philippines-UK PACT Country Fund will concentrate on the energy sector. The sector is identified as a key priority area aligned with the Philippines’ Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal of reducing and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent by 2030.
Supporting the Philippines’ Renewable Energy Goals
The Fund’s approach directly supports the Philippine Energy Plan 2023–2050, which targets a renewable energy (RE) share of 35 percent in the power generation mix by 2030, 50 percent by 2040, and a renewable-dominant mix by 2050.
To realise these ambitions, the programme is implementing four strategic interventions. It looks to update the offshore wind pricing model to improve the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP) and enhance infrastructure readiness for offshore wind development.
The program also entails marine spatial planning for offshore wind to reinforce multisector coordination and sustainability in energy development. For cost-effective and data-driven energy planning, it proposes an Electric power system cost simulation tool.
In addition, micro-grid deployment acceleration in unserved and underserved areas is also being considered to expand energy access and foster inclusive economic growth.
Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange
The launch event and implementation workshop gathered representatives from government agencies, development institutions, academia, civil society, and the private sector. Participants exchanged insights and identified ways to align objectives, share technical knowledge, and collaborate on accelerating the Philippines’ clean energy transition.
British Ambassador to the Philippines Sarah Hulton OBE said, “A diversified renewables-driven power sector not only cuts emissions, it provides a transformative opportunity to lower costs, strengthen resilience and open new pathways for sustainable industries and employment.”
Senior officials from the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) welcomed the partnership, recognising its potential to reshape the country’s energy landscape.
Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla said, “Climate-informed marine spatial planning becomes even more important. This is why our partnership with the UK under UK PACT is so valuable. The programme will help validate our MSP tools, strengthen the integration of biodiversity and social considerations and support the mitigation framework that links environmental sensitivity to clear decisions. Our partnership shows that we do not need to choose between energy security and environmental protection. We can and must achieve both.”
