MANILA, July 24, 2026 – Residents of Baseco Compound in partnership with 350 Pilipinas, Urban Poor Associates (UPA), the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Institute of Technology, Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), and Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran ng Baseco held today a community mural unveiling and a Memorandum of Agreement signing for the upcoming community-owned renewable energy project in the compound, which is formally known as Barangay 649, Zone 68.
Urban poor community leaders and renewable energy advocates gather in Baseco to unveil a mural and sign a landmark Memorandum of Agreement for a community-owned rooftop solar project. The initiative champions rooftop solar as a practical solution to soaring electricity rates, climate vulnerability, and the urgent need for secure, dignified urban housing. Photo: Leo M. Sabangan II
The rooftop solar project, which is set to be launched in November, aims to prove the viability of community-led renewable energy as a practical solution to high electricity costs and the ongoing climate crisis. The initiative also advocates for safe, stable, and equitable housing and community development.
Ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), the event organizers and participants urged the administration to speed up renewable energy deployment by prioritizing community-led solar projects. They also called for the removal of the value added tax on solar equipment, improved net-metering rules, and faster digital permitting to cut costs and delays.
Ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address, participants urge the administration to accelerate renewable energy deployment by prioritizing community-led solar projects, removing VAT on solar equipment, streamlining net-metering rules, and fast-tracking digital permitting. Photo: Leo M. Sabangan II
“The mural we painted shows a shared vision: a future powered by renewable energy that is truly affordable and accessible for every Filipino family. Nearly nine out of ten Filipinos already see rooftop solar as an urgent necessity—and with the SONA coming up, we call on the government to remove the barriers standing in the way of our energy future,” said Jojo Morillo, community engagement campaigner of 350 Pilipinas, the convening organization bringing together the community and academic expertise for the project.
“The struggle for decent housing is inseparable from the fight for energy independence. With electricity prices soaring and pushing urban poor families deeper into poverty, we stand together to assert that energy access is not a privilege—it is an essential service,” said Jeorgie Tenolete, president of Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran ng Baseco, the people’s organization which will serve as the project’s lead custodian.
The initiative also shows how the academe can support community-led climate action, linking student capacity with grassroots solutions.
“Higher education should not only build skills but also help free communities from precarious living through knowledge that serves the public good. We at PUP take pride in preparing students to help lead the clean energy transition in a way that is just, inclusive, and within reach of the communities that need it most,” said Engr. Ramir Cruz, dean of the PUP Institute of Technology.
The Baseco community rooftop solar project aims to bring clean power to the neighborhood’s Center for Cohesion and Resilience, multipurpose facility, and materials recovery facility.
The initiative is led by local community leaders and residents in partnership with 350 Pilipinas, Urban Poor Associates, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Institute of Technology, Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), and Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran ng Baseco. Photo: Leo M. Sabangan II