The Province of Iloilo is taking a pioneering step toward integrating Gender and Development (GAD) principles into its local renewable energy (RE) planning and policy implementation.
This means that Iloilo’s energy policies and programs will now include specific activities, targets, and budget allocations that address gender gaps in the renewable energy sector.
In partnership with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Women, the Iloilo Provincial Government through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Desk - IPG conducted a three-day capacity development workshop aimed at strengthening the gender-responsiveness of the province’s energy policies and programs.
The activity gathered provincial government officials, members of the Renewable Energy Technical Working Group (RE-TWG), local government units (LGUs), and other implementing partners engaged in renewable energy planning and project execution.
Gender and Development Specialist Cecilia Iguiron-Fantastico facilitated the sessions and guided participants in reviewing policy handles, identifying gender-transformative approaches, and integrating renewable energy-related actions into the province’s 2026 Gender and Development Plan and Budget (GPB).
Participants also examined how GAD principles can be embedded into the Local Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan (LEECP) under DOE guidelines, and proposed amendments to the Iloilo Provincial Renewable Energy Plan (I-PORE) to strengthen gender responsiveness.
Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul N. Banias said that Iloilo is recognized by the Department of Energy (DOE) as one of the country’s leaders in renewable energy transition, and that mainstreaming GAD is a necessary step in sustaining this progress.
“We have already policies in place, but more importantly is to mainstream women and GAD in our policies as we transition to renewable energy,” Dr. Banias emphasized.
4th District Board Member Rolando Distura, author of the Iloilo Provincial Ordinance for Renewable Energy of 2022 (I-PORE) — the first renewable energy ordinance in the country with a dedicated budget appropriation — expressed his gratitude for the initiative.
“The law should be dynamic. As the author, I humbly seek your support for this effort so that we can mainstream gender in our programs and in other ordinances that we will craft in the future,” said Distura, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring that energy policies remain inclusive and responsive to the needs of all sectors.
Through this collaboration with UNEP and UN Women, this positions Iloilo to become the first province in the Philippines to systematically integrate gender perspectives into renewable energy planning and budgeting.
📷Energy Efficiency and Conservation Desk - IPG
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