The Philippine government issued an official solar energy development certificate to the Korean corporations HQ Company (CEO Cho Yong-su). According to HQ Company, this is the first time a Korean corporations has been granted authority by the Philippine government to develop solar power.
The certificate was issued by the Philippine Department of Energy, and HQ Company secured the authority to exclusively develop and operate a solar power plant on a site of about 28.26 hectares within the Zamboanga Economic Zone.
Regarding the issuance of the certificate, CEO Cho said, "A foundation has been laid for Korean solar technology and power components to enter the Philippine renewable energy market." Cho is known as a person who received a knighthood from the Knights of Rizal in the Philippines.
Based on the Renewable Energy Act enacted in 2008, the Philippine government has fostered the renewable energy industry as a strategic institutional sector and, through the implementing rules revised in 2024, established a system that can grant private operators exclusive development rights.
Through the certificate, HQ Company can exclusively carry out licensing procedures, technical reviews, feasibility studies, and construction preparations under the approval of the Department of Energy. Cho said, "With this approval, we also expect to expand the entry of Korean power components—such as solar modules, inverters, electric cables, and energy storage systems—into the Philippine market."