A 150-megawatt peak solar power project in northern Cebu moved forward even as a land ownership dispute continues to sit before the courts.
The Cebu Provincial Government confirmed that preparatory works are already underway in Daanbantayan, where the project is set to rise on a 180-hectare property owned by the province but partly contested by former landholders.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Ace Durano said the project has entered the implementation stage, with permit processing still ongoing before full civil works can begin.
“Actually, it’s implementation stage already. In fact, we are now in the process of acquiring all the necessary permits so civil works can start,” Durano said.
Court records show that about 40 to 50 percent of the property is covered by claims questioning the government’s acquisition process. The land was previously forfeited due to unpaid taxes, but some claimants argue the takeover was irregular.
Despite the pending cases, the court denied a petition to halt the project, allowing preparatory activity to proceed on site.
“Yes… the court also denied the petition for an injunction,” Durano said.
Durano said the provincial government has committed to comply with whatever ruling the court issues once the case is resolved.
“Whatever the decision of the court, tumanon ni Gov,” he said.
The province also engaged landowners and legal representatives in discussions that officials described as a “meeting of minds,” allowing the project to continue while litigation remains unresolved.
“There is already a meeting of minds… asta sila gusto sad sila nga madayun ang project,” Durano said.
He added that if the court later finds irregularities in the land process, the province will correct them.
“If the court decides nga dili sakto ang proseso, then the provincial government will correct it,” he said.
The project is being developed with Acciona Energia Philippines and is expected to cost about $150 million. Soil testing and other site works have already started, while additional permits are being secured.
Durano said the investment nearly stalled after legal concerns unsettled the foreign partner.
“Acciona really wanted to pull out already because wa sila kahibaw unsay buhaton nila sa mga kaso,” he said.
The energy venture also faced hesitation from Governor Pamela Baricuatro when she assumed office, due to unresolved disputes and local opposition. Durano said concerns were later weighed against Cebu’s persistent power supply issues.
Cebu remains under recurring alert levels in the power grid, with officials citing vulnerability to outages during transmission disruptions.
“We are always on yellow alert… naa lay maguba nga transmission, mo orange, mo red dayun ta,” Durano said.
The solar facility, once completed, is expected to contribute 150 MWp of renewable energy to the province’s supply mix and has been tagged as an Energy Project of National Significance, allowing faster regulatory processing.
The provincial government is also securing conversion clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform, a requirement for developments on agricultural land.
Officials said the project is moving forward in phases while legal proceedings continue in parallel. (SBA)
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