Philippines: Parish Expands Solar Power Capacity as Witness to Care for Creation

St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Pagbilao, a coastal municipality in Quezon province on Luzon Island, southeast of Manila in the northern Philippines, has strengthened its commitment to environmental stewardship by expanding its solar energy facilities, demonstrating a concrete response to the Church’s call to care for creation amid the growing challenges of climate change and the threat of El Niño.

The parish recently installed a new 10-kilowatt (kW) on-grid solar power system at its rectory, bringing its total solar energy capacity to 25 kW. The new installation complements an existing 5-kW on-grid solar system at the rectory and a 10-kW hybrid solar power system serving the church.

Parish officials said the newly installed system more than meets the energy requirements of the rectory, including two newly installed office air-conditioning units and other operational needs.

By relying more on clean and renewable energy, the parish expects to reduce electricity costs and redirect more resources toward its pastoral programs and social ministries.

“Caring for creation is not only an environmental responsibility , but it is also an act of Christian stewardship,” the parish said in a statement.