QUEZON CITY, 2 July 2026 – Nearly all Filipinos agree that the government should make rooftop solar more affordable, according to a new nationwide Pulse Asia survey, signaling strong public support for policies that can help make renewable energy more accessible while lowering electricity costs and strengthening the country’s energy security.
The survey revealed widespread concern over the country’s energy crisis. Nearly all respondents (97%) said they are concerned about current energy challenges, while 77% recognized the Philippines’ continued dependence on imported oil, coal, and natural gas. When asked about long-term solutions, 66% identified expanding renewable energy as the most effective approach, with making rooftop solar affordable emerging as the public’s highest priority among renewable energy measures
The survey also suggests that the challenge is no longer convincing Filipinos about the benefits of rooftop solar. Instead, affordability has emerged as the biggest hurdle to wider adoption. While public support for rooftop solar is high, Filipinos believe that lower costs, better access to information, and affordable financing are needed to make the technology accessible to more consumers.
Public demand for decentralized solar power was exceptionally strong across the board:
- 93% of respondents stated that rising electricity demand makes affordable rooftop solar increasingly necessary.
- 93% believe a mainstream transition is entirely achievable if citizens have access to the right information.
- 91% said widespread adoption is viable if affordable financing options are made available.
Amid rising electricity costs, 85% of respondents now view rooftop solar as a necessity rather than a luxury, underscoring a shift in how many Filipinos see rooftop solar—as a practical option for managing household energy costs. .
“These findings send a clear policy signal: Filipinos are not rejecting solar energy; they are asking for the conditions that would allow them to access it,” said Alberto Dalusung III, Energy Transition Advisor for the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC).
“Rooftop solar can help consumers manage electricity costs, participate more actively in the energy system, and strengthen national energy security by reducing dependence on imported fuels.”
Building on the urgent need to bridge the gap between public interest and actual adoption, Brenda Valerio, Philippines Country Director of New Energy Nexus, emphasized that financing remains one of the largest hurdles to clear.
“The demand is already there; what many Filipino families need now is structural access,” Valerio noted. “By expanding affordable financing options—from specialized solar loans and installment plans to leasing models and partnerships with financial institutions—we can make clean energy inclusive. The transition shouldn’t be limited to those who can afford the upfront costs; it must be within reach of every Filipino family.”
From the supply side, the local solar sector stands ready to deliver, provided the government cuts down on existing market friction.
“The consumer interest and technology readiness are already present, yet taxes, fees, heavy administrative processes, financing gaps, and coordination challenges still make rooftop solar harder and more expensive to adopt,” explained Jose Rafael Mendoza, President of the Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA). He called for clearer policies and synchronized execution among government bodies, utilities, and industry players to accelerate deployment.
Connecting these policy, financing, and industry bottlenecks back to the lived experiences of ordinary citizens, Chuck Baclagon, Senior Advisor for Communications and Campaigns of 350 Pilipinas, stressed that skyrocketing electric bills are not merely technical or regulatory abstractions, but painful everyday household crises.
“We are living through an energy emergency that millions of Filipino families experience every month through rising electricity bills,” Baclagon said. “This survey sends a clear message: 93% of Filipinos are ready to embrace rooftop solar, but high upfront costs remain the biggest barrier. The government must act now by removing the VAT on solar technology and expanding access to affordable financing. With strong public support already in place, we must organize and work together to turn this demand into real action—bringing down electricity costs, strengthening our energy security, and accelerating the country’s clean energy transition.”
To fast-track this deployment and answer the public’s mandate, the panel examined a suite of immediate fiscal and regulatory interventions championed by the campaign, including removing the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on solar technologies to instantly lower upfront costs, improving net-metering implementation to fairly compensate consumers for excess power fed back to the grid, and streamlining and digitizing permitting processes to eliminate bureaucratic red tape.
The unprecedented public consensus revealed by the Pulse Asia survey underscores that these proposals are no longer optional policy debates—they represent an urgent, nationwide directive. The briefing concluded with a firm call for administrative and legislative policymakers to heed this public demand by immediately advancing these structural reforms, clearing the path to make rooftop solar an affordable reality for millions of Filipino households struggling under the current energy emergency.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
“Sayang Ang Araw, Gawing Mura ang Solar” is a public engagement and policy advocacy campaign that seeks to accelerate rooftop solar adoption in the Philippines by removing cost and regulatory barriers. It promotes rooftop solar as a practical pathway toward affordable, reliable, and resilient energy, while advancing energy independence for Filipino households, businesses, and communities.
The campaign is collectively led by a coalition of civil society, industry, and climate organizations: Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), 350 Pilipinas, New Energy Nexus Philippines, Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA), Asia Engine for Net Zero (AENZ), Clean Energy Advocates Association of the Philippines, Inc. (CEAAPI), Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc. (FSSI), Mindanao Goes Solar Movement, Oxfam Pilipinas, Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), AktivAsia Philippines, Pinoy Aksyon, and World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) Philippines.
Sign the petition: https://letsgorenewable.ph/sayangangaraw
CONTACT
Ira Guerrero, ICSC: [email protected] | +63968 886 3466 | +63917 149 5649