Faith-Fueled Economics in the Philippines

Together, the Council of the Laity of the Philippines and WeGen Laudato Si’ have launched one of the most ambitious church-led renewable energy transitions in the region. Since 2016, they’ve supported over 330 installations of solar panel systems across the country, displacing millions of kilowatt-hours of fossil fuel energy and dramatically reducing emissions.

But the real story isn’t just environmental—it’s economic.

This transition is being powered not by foreign investment or corporate sponsorship, but by Catholic cooperatives and local financing models. Through what’s called the Laudato Si’ Circular Model of Financial Solidarity, dioceses are reimagining how capital flows—and who benefits.

Here’s how it works:

• Catholic cooperatives provide low-interest loans to parishes, schools, and hospitals to install solar systems
• Institutions generate long-term savings on electricity
• Loan repayments strengthen local cooperatives, creating a cycle of community wealth
• Jobs are created locally in solar installation and maintenance
• Revenue-generating projects can be reinvested in education, pastoral programs, or social ministries

Read the rest at Laudato Si' Action Platform