More than half of the population of the Philippines, or about 60 million people, live in rural areas, yet many communities remain without a reliable electricity supply despite decades of electrification efforts. While the country has made significant strides in bringing power to remote clinics, schools, and households, achieving universal access remains a challenge.
In 2023, the Philippines reached 97.6% electricity access in rural areas, helping to lift the national access rate to 98%, up by 3.2% from 2022. The Rural Electrification Program (REP) has delivered electricity to 15 million connections, benefiting around 45 million Filipinos.
Despite these achievements, 2.7 million households remain in the dark. While schools have significantly benefited, with 98-99% of over 45,000 schools electrified by 2020, approximately 1,500 schools – mostly in remote areas – still lack power, undermining education quality and digital learning access.
The country’s archipelagic geography of over 7,000 islands and history of frequent natural disasters, land disputes, and right-of-way issues complicate electrification efforts.
To accelerate progress, the Philippine government has approved the PHP6.352-trillion (US$108.6 billion) 2025 General Appropriations Act, which includes PHP3.627 billion (US$72.54 million) for the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to electrify 1,752 locations and five territorial and administrative districts in remote areas next year. Earlier in January, the NEA provided electricity to 22,000 households using a PHP1.87 billion (US$37 million) subsidy.
However, achieving 100% household electrification by 2028 will require an estimated PHP85-100 billion (US$1.69-1.99 billion), whereas the current annual budget allocation is only PHP2-3 billion (US$39.8-59.7 million), leaving a substantial US$307 million annual funding gap.
Despite financial limitations, the NEA remains committed to achieving 100% electrification in the Philippines by 2028, underscoring its determination to bring electricity to all areas, including rural communities. NEA Administrator, Antonio Mariano Almeda, has emphasized the need to prioritize solar power for remote schools to enable students to learn effectively and teachers to improve their tuition methods.
However, electricity generation in the Philippines is still dominated by fossil fuels, which account for almost 79% of the country’s power supply. The largest sources of clean electricity are hydropower (8%) and geothermal energy (8.3%), while the combined share of wind and solar is just 3.8%, a quarter of the global average of 15%.
See also: Access to electricity: Global statistics and trends
To boost rural electrification, the Philippine government has launched several initiatives, including the Philippines Rural Electrification Program, which has brought electricity to millions of households nationwide, the Sitio Electrification Program, which extends distribution lines to unserved areas, and the Barangay Line Enhancement Program, which upgrades and rehabilitates distribution infrastructure. In addition, the Expanded House Electrification Program utilizes solar energy systems to bring electricity to remote communities.
