Rep. Leandro Leviste publicly stated that he did not take a single peso from the government for his solar ventures. He said the contracts held by his companies were permits for private investments and that the projects were financed using private funds.
One of his firms, Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc., entered into service contracts with the Department of Energy to develop renewable energy capacity. These service contracts authorized project development and set delivery commitments for the company.
Service contracts do not automatically mean a direct allocation from the national budget or the granting of government subsidies. They serve as agreements that allow a private developer to pursue projects in exchange for meeting specific obligations and timelines.
The Department of Energy terminated several of these service contracts after the company failed to meet its development commitments. The government is pursuing penalties amounting to about ₱24 billion, which represents enforcement of contractual obligations rather than the release of government funds.
Another Leviste-linked company, Solar Para sa Bayan Corp., which previously held a congressional franchise, is no longer operational. Available public records do not show any transfer of government funds to the company during its operations.
The congressional franchise granted to Solar Para sa Bayan Corp. allowed it to operate solar microgrids in certain areas. However, the enabling law stated that the franchise did not entitle the company to government subsidies or budgetary support.
Leviste cited permit and approval challenges as factors that affected project timelines. The Department of Energy said the contract terminations were due to failure to meet development milestones and noted that meeting timelines remains the responsibility of the developer.
