Renewable Energy Boom Could Threaten Livelihoods, Fisherfolk Group Warns
- January 13, 2026
The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) has urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to review dozens of renewable energy (RE) projects that it says threaten traditional fishing grounds, marine biodiversity, and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
In a statement, Pamalakaya National Chairperson Fernando Hicap said the transition to clean energy must not come at the expense of fishing and coastal families whose access to common resources could be curtailed by large-scale solar and wind projects.
“A transition to clean energy should not trample the socio-economic rights of the fisherfolk and coastal communities,” Hicap said. “Moreover, it should not lead to privatization and corporatization of communal fishing grounds.”
Communities at Risk
The group said tens of thousands of fishing and aquaculture workers in provinces such as Laguna, Ilocos Norte, Camarines Sur, and Quezon risk losing their livelihoods due to massive offshore and floating renewable energy installations.
Among the projects identified are the 23,307-hectare offshore wind farm in San Miguel Bay, Camarines Sur; the 2,000-megawatt Buhawind Offshore Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte; the 1,200-megawatt Guimaras Strait Offshore Wind Farm in Panay and Negros; the 2,510-megawatt Quezon North Wind Farm; and a 2,000-hectare floating solar facility on Laguna de Bay.
Pamalakaya said over 8,000 fishermen and more than 2,000 aquaculture workers in Laguna could be affected by the floating solar project, while another 6,500 fishers from Ilocos Norte’s Burgos, Pagudpud, Bangui, and Pasuquin towns may lose their traditional fishing grounds to wind farm developments.
Concerns Over Corporate Control
Hicap, a former Anakpawis Party-list representative, said the projects are largely controlled by major local and foreign corporations. “The underlying questions about these renewable energy projects are who controls them, for who are they, and at what cost?” he asked, warning against what he described as a corporate takeover of common fishing grounds.
As of 2025, data from the Department of Energy (DOE) show that at least 1,319 renewable energy projects have been awarded nationwide, with solar projects comprising 39% or 517 of these. The DOE has said the expansion of renewables is crucial to achieving the Philippines’ goal of 35% renewable energy share in the power mix by 2030.
Environmental Considerations In RE Development
The DENR, which issues environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) for such projects, has yet to respond to Pamalakaya’s call for a review. The agency earlier said all approved projects must undergo environmental impact assessments and public consultations before permits are granted.
In previous statements, the DOE said it recognizes the need to balance environmental protection and community welfare with the push for renewable energy development. One of the best practices mentioned by the agency is the integration of environmental issues into business decisions through the use of management systems.
Pamalakaya maintained that the government must ensure the transition to clean energy is just and inclusive, and that coastal communities should not be displaced in the name of climate action.
Source:
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/01/05/group-bares-adverse-effect-of-re-projects
