Source: Dialogue Earth
The Philippines' rapid deployment of renewable energy is creating a two-tier system where affluent households and businesses can afford solar panels and energy independence, while lower-income Filipinos remain locked into expensive grid electricity and fossil fuel dependence. This mirrors a pattern across the Global South where climate infrastructure becomes a wealth-sorting mechanism rather than a transition—green technology adoption rates now track directly with disposable income, not climate urgency. The policy failure lies in absent subsidized installation, bulk purchasing programs, and grid modernization that would make the transition accessible to the majority.