The Philippine government is encouraging private and foreign investment in renewable energy by removing caps on foreign ownership of solar, wind and ocean projects. At the same time, authorities have intensified "red‑tagging", labelling activists and groups as connected to communists or terrorists. The Supreme Court said in July 2023 that red‑tagging threatens victims' "right to life, liberty, or security." The practice grew under the Duterte administration (2016–2022) and has continued under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Two community organisations say they have been targeted. LCDe in Tacloban helped many families after Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, and its leader was named an International Climate Heroine in 2018. LCDe had bank accounts frozen in April 2024 and in July 2025 its leader pleaded not guilty to terrorism financing charges; the group cannot receive or spend funds and its relief projects are suspended.
Sibat, a nonprofit that brings clean technology to rural areas, reports harassment too. It installed a solar‑powered water pump in June 2025 for Typhoon Rai victims in Ubay. Staff say they sometimes must invite EU diplomats and persuade local officials to keep projects running.
Difficult words
- investment — Money put into a project to earn returns
- ownership — The legal right to control something
- labelling — Giving someone a name or description publicly
- terrorism — Political violence by groups to cause fear
- freeze — To stop access to money or assetsfrozen
- suspend — To stop an activity for a timesuspended
- harassment — Repeated actions that trouble or annoy people
- renewable — Energy from sources that are naturally replaced
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think removing caps on foreign ownership will help renewable energy projects? Why or why not?
- How can accusations like red-tagging affect local community organisations that provide relief?
- What steps could small NGOs take to protect their projects when they face harassment?
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