TACLOBAN CITY – The Northern Samar provincial government has launched a series of social preparation initiatives aimed at readying communities identified as potential hosts of a major offshore wind power project.

Jhon Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO), said comprehensive community readiness and engagement efforts will be implemented in collaboration with the non-government organization Fisheries Reform (NFR).

Berbon said discussions with NFR officials center on the proposed 650-megawatt offshore wind farm, with particular emphasis on aligning development goals with community awareness and environmental stewardship.

He noted that NFR emphasized its role in educating local government units and coastal communities on renewable energy development, highlighting both its potential benefits and the imperative to safeguard coastal and marine ecosystems.

“The organization underscored the need for communities to be well-informed and actively involved in renewable energy development without compromising environmental integrity,” he said in a phone interview Friday.

PEDIPO, Berbon added, has expressed firm commitment to support NFR’s initiatives and has identified key activities under the proposed partnership.

These activities include stakeholder surveys, community consultations and workshops, vulnerability assessments, and onsite rapid resource assessment and valuation analyses designed to generate data-driven insights.

“The results of these activities will serve as the basis for policy recommendations to further strengthen the province’s renewable energy and coastal resource management framework,” Berbon said.

The 650-megawatt offshore wind power project, valued at P108 billion, will be developed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and is currently undergoing due diligence.