Mike DeGuzman is easing the energy transition in the Philippines.
asserted
DeGuzman → ease → Philippines
In 2026, the country became the world’s second-largest market for Chinese solar exports as residents search for ways to lower bills, but many people still struggle with upfront installation costs.
asserted
people → become → costs
Under DeGuzman’s leadership, Solaric, a leading solar provider in the region, partnered with local government authorities earlier this year to supply and install home rooftop solar systems as part of a first-of-its-kind flexible financing program to help households make the switch affordably.
asserted
households → lead → switch
What is the single most important action you think the public, or a specific company or government (other than your own), needs to take in the next year to advance the climate agenda?
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public → think → agenda
And make them accessible to everyone.
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them → make → everyone
For years, we took it for granted that we could always get cheap oil, diesel, and other fossil fuels.
uncertain
we → take → oil
But recent geopolitical events have reminded us that those things can no longer be taken for granted.
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things → remind → us
What happens when you can no longer get the energy you've always depended on?
asserted
you → happen → energy
We are entering an era of self-sufficiency, what I like to call the era of "me energy."
asserted
I → enter → energy
Energy has to come from me, from people, from us.
asserted
Energy → have → us
Households, communities, and businesses must be empowered to generate their own power rather than remain entirely dependent on imported fuels and centralized systems.
asserted
Households → empower → fuels
Governments need to make that easier, not harder.
asserted
that → need → ?
What’s one sustainability effort you personally will try to adopt in the next year, and why?
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you → ’ → year
For the past 13 years, I've been lobbying for renewable energy and conducted hundreds of seminars teaching people how to install solar.
asserted
I → lobby → solar
I've watched solar evolve from an alternative energy source into a major contributor to the Philippines' growing energy capacity.
asserted
solar → watch → capacity
Now, I want to be part of the next big transition: from internal combustion engines and diesel to electric vehicles.
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I → want → vehicles
In the Philippines, practically everything depends on imported fuel.
asserted
everything → depend → fuel
We have limited fuel reserves, and affordability is bonkers.
asserted
affordability → have → reserves
Farmers can barely afford to bring their produce to market.
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Farmers → afford → market
Our fishing industry struggles because fuel costs can make catching fish economically unsustainable.
asserted
catching → struggle → fish
Sometimes the problem isn't that we can't produce food, it's that we can't afford to transport it.
asserted
we → produce → it
We have to bring down the cost of transportation and electricity.
asserted
We → have → transportation
Over the next year, I want to personally focus on developing ways to combine solar energy with EV charging infrastructure, including decentralized "pocket solar farms" of around 500 kilowatt-peak that can support communities without relying entirely on a grid that is already struggling to keep up.
asserted
that → want → grid
My mission is to make clean energy and clean transportation accessible, not just to those who can afford the latest technology, but to the people who need it most.
asserted
who → make → it
Because what good is an energy revolution if the people who need it most can't afford to join it?
asserted
who → need → it
What is a climate solution (other than your own) that isn't getting the attention or funding it deserves?
asserted
it → get → attention
It sounds almost too simple, but sometimes the biggest obstacle to fighting climate change isn't technology but paperwork.
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obstacle → sound → change
In the Philippines, getting permits for net metering in some areas can take up to eight months or even a year.
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getting → get → months
Think about that: We have people willing to invest their own money in clean energy, and we make them wait nearly a year for permission to do something that's good for the planet.
asserted
that → think → planet
The result is we’ve unintentionally encouraged a growing market of informal, unreported, backyard "guerrilla" solar installations.
asserted
we → encourage → installations
People want to be part of the solution, but the system makes it unnecessarily difficult.
asserted
it → want → solution
We already have the technology.
asserted
We → have → technology
We have the demand.
asserted
We → have → demand
And the economics make sense.
asserted
economics → make → sense
What we need is easier financing, faster approvals and regulations that encourage adoption instead of discouraging it.
asserted
that → need → it
We can't keep telling people to save the planet, and then make them stand in line for permission.
asserted
them → keep → permission
What gives you hope about the future of the planet/climate movement?
asserted
What → give → movement
The younger generation gives me hope.
asserted
generation → give → hope
For them, taking care of the planet is already a given.
asserted
taking → take → planet
They don't need to be convinced that climate change matters.
asserted
change → need → ?
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
