The grant that turned heat into ‘gold’Notes on the beatMANILA, Philippines — A grant from the New Zealand government 50 years ago gave Energy Development Corp. (EDC) the spark it needed, allowing the then state-owned company to purchase its very first drilling rig. This paved the way for the successful commissioning of the Tongonan 1 and Palinpinon 1 steamfields in Leyte and Negros Oriental, firmly placing the Philippines on the global geothermal map. After 50 years, what began as a grant and a dream has grown into a legacy, with EDC continuing to strengthen the Philippines’ position as a global geothermal leader. This year, a new financial mechanism is poised to help the Philippines reclaim its place on the global geothermal stage. In the global geothermal ranking, the Philippines was at the third spot with a total installed capacity of 1,935 MW as of 2023.

Source: Philippine Star March 06, 2026 16:36 UTC