Lighting the Way: Bringing the Impact of Light at Home to Island Communities

Summary of the news

Representatives from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) recently visited acciona.org’s Light at Home project sites in Palawan to better understand how decentralized renewable energy is transforming lives in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.

In Cagbuli Island, El Nido, 90 households now have access to solar home systems, bringing reliable electricity to homes for the first time. Families shared how electricity has improved daily life—children can study after sunset, parents can better care for young children at night, and households can extend productive hours for work, safety, and family time.

The delegation also visited Villa Paz, where they met community partner Nanay Lorna, highlighting the importance of local support systems in sustaining the program’s long-term impact.

Building on these results, acciona.org Philippines and AECID are exploring opportunities to expand similar clean energy solutions to remote island communities in Cebu, aiming to bring reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to more families in need.

The visit formed part of a week-long mission by AECID officials from its headquarters in Madrid, Spain, including Ms. Irene Seco, Technical Adviser for the Middle East and the Philippines, and Ms. Raquel López, Country Specialist for the Philippines, to gain firsthand experience of the projects currently being implemented by AECID in the Philippines.