ILOILO CITY— Iloilo province has emerged as a clean-energy trailblazer in the Visayas after being named one of this year’s Energy Champion Award recipients by the Department of Energy–Visayas Field Office — a recognition reserved for local governments making bold, measurable progress in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“We want to recognize entities and individuals who are truly moving the needle in clean energy,” said Chief Science Research Specialist Lourdes Arciaga ahead of the ECLAP Awards on December 12 in Cebu City, the highlight of this year’s National Energy Consciousness Month.

Arciaga said Iloilo stands out for a key milestone: for the first time, all local government units in the province have completed their Local Efficiency and Conservation Plans, enabling them to allocate funds for energy-saving and efficiency initiatives. “We want this highlighted to inspire other provinces,” she added.

Iloilo’s honors do not stop there.

Board Member Rolando Distura will also receive an ECLAP citation for authoring the Iloilo Provincial Ordinance for Renewable Energy (I-PORE), a pioneering law that mandates 0.5 percent of the provincial budget be set aside for renewable energy projects. The measure is considered one of Western Visayas’ strongest local policies advocating clean and sustainable power.

The Western Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) will likewise be recognized for being the only regional council in the country to include a dedicated renewable energy chapter in its Regional Development Plan — a move the DOE says “sets the benchmark for other regions.”

For the province, the recognitions validate ongoing efforts.

Rey Victor Garin, OIC head of the Provincial Government’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Desk, said their programs rely heavily on the Government Energy Management Program, which requires government agencies to reduce electricity and fuel consumption by 10 percent.

“There is simply no better way to hit those targets than by investing heavily in renewable energy,” Garin said.

Distura, meanwhile, is pushing further through a second proposal — the Iloilo Schools Having Access to Renewable Energy Ordinance — now on second reading at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The measure seeks to deliver clean, reliable power to far-flung schools and off-grid communities.

With its new citation, Iloilo strengthens its standing as the Visayas’ clean-energy frontrunner — demonstrating how strong policies, committed leadership, and sustained investment can turn energy efficiency from a mandate into a movement.