Antipolo City Mayor Jun Jun Ynares III has formally asked DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Vena Group Philippines Country Head Samrinder Nehria to reconsider the placement of proposed wind turbines in Rizal’s karst landscapes by Rizal Wind Energy Corporation (RWEC), a Vena Group subsidiary.
The karst landscapes are located within the Masungi Georeserve, a globally renowned conservation site within the Rizal area.
In letters dated January 13, 2026, Mayor Ynares highlighted the vital role of these forests, watersheds, and unique karst formations as they “help mitigate flooding, prevent landslides, and address water shortages.” He warned that the turbine sites “may be situated” in environmentally sensitive karst areas that are fragile and require protection, and that construction in these zones could threaten long-term environmental stability and public safety.
“Construction activities in such locations may present challenges that merit further review to ensure long-term environmental stability and project safety.”
The big picture
The mayor’s intervention provides significant momentum to a November 2025 petition signed by the Protect Sierra Madre and Masungi Coalition, made up of 52 environmental organizations, scientists, and community members calling on DENR to reject Vena Group’s Special Area Management Plan (SAPA) application.
Mayor Ynares’s position is the first official stance from a local government official on the controversial project. The proposed wind farm would directly affect 553 hectares of land within Masungi Georeserve’s Karst Conservation Area (MKCA), part of Proclamation 1636 National Park, which shelters at least 43 endangered and threatened species.
After the letters signed by Mayor Ynares were published, Vena Energy released a press statement that stated, “Vena Energy reiterated a commitment it first made public in February 2024: it is not building wind turbines in karst areas. According to the company, this stance has not shifted, reflecting a broader philosophy that clean energy development should not come at the expense of fragile ecosystems.”
“Behind the scenes, renewable energy projects operate within a tightly regulated framework, and Vena Energy emphasizes that its activities are grounded in compliance. The company has secured all required permits and clearances, including an Environmental Compliance Certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as Free Prior and Informed Consent from affected indigenous communities.”
The Protect Sierra Madre and Masungi Coalition has since released supplementary materials, including a map based on the coordinates in Rizal Wind Energy Corporation’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), granted by the DENR on May 29, 2020. It shows how the ridges (mountainous areas where wind turbines are ideally installed) overlap with the protected landscape.
So what?
Located in Baras, Rizal, Masungi Georeserve is an award-winning geotourism site that began as a restoration project spanning 400 hectares of barren land.
To date, the project has garnered over 10 global recognitions, establishing itself as a world-class model for nature-based solutions, including the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) Action Award 2022 and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Luc Hoffmann Award in 2021.
Most importantly, Masungi Georeserve is situated within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, a 26,000-hectare area that serves as the area’s primary catch basin for rainfall.
What now?
Vena Energy has yet to confirm whether its site plan remains the same as the one granted in the ECC in 2020.
This is a developing story.
Sustina is among the 52 organizations that signed the petition. Sustina Executive Director Anna Reyes serves as the secretariat of the Upper Marikina Watershed Coalition.
