LGUs told: Cut energy use
‘This issuance empowers our LGUs to take a more active role in achieving our national energy efficiency goals, while reinforcing the vital link between sustainable development and accountable energy use.’
Daily Tribune‘This issuance empowers our LGUs to take a more active role in achieving our national energy efficiency goals, while reinforcing the vital link between sustainable development and accountable energy use.’
Local government units (LGUs) are now required to adopt energy-saving measures to reduce public sector energy consumption and promote long-term savings under new guidelines issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Memorandum Circular No. 2025-047, released on 14 May, mandates LGUs to implement key provisions of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) Act.
The directive requires the appointment of an Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) officer, the creation of a Local Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan (LEECP), and the submission of regular electricity and fuel consumption reports through the Government Energy Management Program (GEMP) Online System.
It also promotes the use of energy-efficient technologies such as LED lights and inverter-type air conditioners, and the implementation of energy-saving practices in daily operations.
“This issuance empowers our LGUs to take a more active role in achieving our national energy efficiency goals, while reinforcing the vital link between sustainable development and accountable energy use,” Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla said Monday.
Lotilla welcomed the DILG’s circular as a “decisive step toward mainstreaming energy efficiency and conservation at the local level.”
The circular supports Administrative Order No. 15, which accelerates GEMP implementation, and urges local leaders to prioritize energy efficiency in development plans and promote responsible energy use in all government facilities.
Meantime, the DILG’s initiative also strengthens its collaboration with the Department of Energy (DoE), building on previous efforts such as the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop Act and the LGU Energy Code.
Earlier this year, the DoE conducted LEECP workshops for LGUs in Metro Manila, Batanes, and Iloilo, while Agusan del Norte and Bulacan held their own workshops. All participating LGUs completed their energy efficiency plans.
The LEECP provides a framework for LGUs to institutionalize energy efficiency, outlining governance structures, policies and monitoring tools to ensure sustained energy and cost savings.