Bongbong Marcos urges Ilocanos to back gov't clean energy bid

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on his kailian (province mates) to back the government's move for increased renewable energy sources as he led the inauguration of a 160-megawatt wind farm in Pagudpud town in his home province of Ilocos Norte on Friday afternoon, May 19.

'Tayo naman na taga rito sa [We who are locals of] Ilocos, let us continue to keep the province the pioneer for renewables as we are leading the way for the whole country,' Marcos said as he thanked the Ayala Group for 'continuing interest' in the province and in 'promoting the supply of electricity from renewables.'

The P11.4-billion Pagudpud Wind Project, which straddles the villages of Balaio and Caunayan, is funded by AC Energy Corp. (ACEN) of the Ayala Group.

Ayala Corp. Chair Jaime Augosto Zobel de Ayala said during the inauguration that building additional windmills in the province was a 'critical contribution to further securing the increasing power requirements of the Luzon grid.'

The wind project's construction was started in 2021, with its first phase completed in the first quarter of 2023. Full operation of the 160 megawatts is expected to be completed by December 2025.

'Upon reaching full commercial operation, the power plant is expected to provide approximately 124,000 homes with clean energy and also perhaps equally important, to avoid about 350,000 tons of carbon emission,' according to Ayala.

He also noted that the initiative has created over 1,200 jobs for the local community during the three-year construction period.

ACEN developed the iconic Bangui windmills in 2005 and what has been touted as the 'first wind farm in Southeast Asia.'

Marcos said that with the development of this energy infrastructure, not only his home province but the entire country is benefiting.

'The time hopefully will come that we can say na iuurong na natin ang ating energy mix in favor of renewables,' Marcos said.