Leviste’s Solar Para sa Bayan now defunct

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January 16, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  Straight from the horse’s mouth.

Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste admitted that the company slapped with a P24-billion penalty by the Department of Energy is his, acknowledging as well that Solar Para sa Bayan Corp. (SPBC), which obtained a Congressional franchise, is no longer operating.

The first district congressman confirmed to broadcast journalist and news anchor Pinky Webb during her “On Point” program on Bilyonaryo News Channel, that he owns Solar Philippine Power Project Holdings Inc. (SPPHI).

“I also refrain from any potential conflicts involving this (SPPHI),” Leviste said, acknowledging that SPPHI was penalized by the DOE for failing to fulfill its commitments to produce 12,000 megawatts of electricity.

During the interview, Leviste also acknowledged that he is a SPPHI shareholder.

In the same interview, Leviste said that SPBC — granted a 25-year franchise to build and operate microgrids in far-flung areas nationwide — had been shut down many years ago.

“The company, I think, was also publicly already reported to be no longer operational. So, there’s no franchise. If I’m not mistaken, that really would not have any effect on anyone at this point,” he said.

“And what I actually learned from that is it’s very difficult to start a new endeavor in the Philippines because of the red tape and other regulatory requirements. SPBC is actually defunct and no longer operating,” he said.

“It stopped operating many years ago, like many years ago,” Leviste said, recalling about four years ago. “There was a law that was passed in 2022 that superseded the franchise which was approved in 2019.”