On 18 August 2025, the Office of the Vice President for Development (OVPD) headquarters office visited UP Los Baños (UPLB) and UP Open University (UPOU) to meet with PV2 Energie Philippines, Inc.
PV2 Energie Philippines Proposes Solar Energy Initiatives to UP
The University of the Philippines is taking a significant step toward sustainability. The Office of the Vice President for Development (OVPD), represented by Assistant Vice President Karen Ann Jago-on and Assistant Vice President Fernando Paras, Jr.; UP Open University (UPOU), represented by Chancellor Joane Serrano and Chief Victoria Canape-Belegal; and UP Los Baños (UPLB), represented by Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Benevieve Villanueva, are in discussions with PV2 Energie Philippines, Inc., represented by its President and General Manager, Ms. Brenda Baylon.
PV2 Energie Philippines, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as PV2) is a German company that was established in the Philippines in 2014. It focuses on solar PV systems for commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. PV2 expressed its interest in assessing the feasibility of installing solar panels on the UPOU International Convention Center (ICC). The ICC’s rooftop, estimated to have a surface area of 5,000 square meters, could potentially generate up to 900 kW of renewable energy.
This initiative is part of a larger sustainability effort, with UPOU developing new renewable energy programs for graduate students and exploring opportunities for training and workshops in collaboration with German experts from PV2. The partnership not only aims to lower the university’s carbon footprint but also to educate and empower future Filipino renewable energy professionals.
The group also visited the proposed location for the OVPD Extension Office at the UPOU Community Hub, a space generously provided by Chancellor Serrano and UPOU. This office will serve as the base for Dr. Fernando O. Paras, Jr., Assistant Vice President for Renewable Energy, Development, and Management of Southern Constituent Universities. He was joined on the visit by AVP Jago-on and the team from the OVPD headquarters, as well as Chief Canape-Belegal and Engr. Cacas from UPOU, and AVC Villanueva from UPLB OVCCA.
The OVPD group, together with AVC Villanueva and Dr. Crusty Tinio, Director of TREES, also visited the UPLB Training Center for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability (TREES) guest houses and a UPLB staff house located in the Forestry area. The team assessed these locations as potential sites for a new Emeritus House for the UP System.
The group noted that the Institute of Forest Conservation (IFC) Guest Houses 1 and 2 have been unused since serving as dormitories during the pandemic. Similarly, the UPLB staff house has been abandoned for nearly a decade. Due to this extended period of vacancy, both the guest and staff houses have suffered significant deterioration and will require extensive renovation to meet the necessary standards for their future use. An on-site evaluation was conducted by the OVPD’s architect, engineers, and interior designer. The team documented the status of the houses and the required scope of work for their potential restoration, which will serve as the basis for the project’s design and planning.
UPLB TREES Guest House 1
UPLB TREES Guest House 2
UPLB Staff House
