IT IS HEARTENING to see a local government taking decisive steps toward sustainability in an era where climate change and energy scarcity loom large. Through the recent passage of two complementary ordinances — the Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Government Buildings Ordinance and the Pavia Street Lighting and Electrification Program (PSLEP) — the Municipality of Pavia, Iloilo is setting a benchmark for what good governance looks like in action.
Authored by Sangguniang Bayan member Daniel S. Fajardo II, these measures embody a rare but necessary kind of leadership — one that recognizes that change must begin in government itself. The first ordinance requires all municipal and barangay facilities to adopt energy-saving practices such as switching to LED or solar-powered lighting and using inverter-type air-conditioning units. It even establishes an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Officer (EECO) under the Municipal Planning and Development Office — a move that institutionalizes accountability and ensures that energy efficiency becomes a sustained, measurable commitment rather than a passing advocacy.
This approach is both pragmatic and visionary. Pragmatic, because energy-efficient technologies directly reduce operating costs — savings that can be redirected to vital community programs. Visionary, because it redefines governance as not just the delivery of services, but the responsible management of public resources in harmony with the environment. As SB Fajardo aptly said, “Energy efficiency and electrification are not just environmental goals, they are governance goals.”
These initiatives deserve commendation for going beyond rhetoric. The PSLEP, which prioritizes the installation of solar-powered streetlights in key public areas, can demonstrate how sustainable practices can be tied to public safety and progress. Well-lit streets reduce accidents, deter crime, and improve the quality of life for residents — all while cutting dependence on fossil fuels. This is a holistic view of development that many local governments would do well to emulate.
The challenge now is to concretize the ordinances. When local governments “practice what they preach,” they inspire communities to follow suit. Energy-saving habits, when modeled consistently by public offices, ripple outward — encouraging households, businesses, and schools to do the same. The shift from wasteful consumption to conscious conservation starts where citizens see their taxes at work: in government buildings and public spaces that embody efficiency and foresight.
In the long run, initiatives like SB Fajardo’s ordinances go beyond lowering electricity bills or brightening streets. They are rekindling public trust — showing that sustainability and governance can go hand in hand, and that local leaders can indeed lead by example.
Through the two new ordinances, Pavia is taking a bold, admirable first step toward a greener, smarter, and more accountable future. Other towns and cities in Western Visayas should take notice.
