Although the Philippines has been identified as being rich in renewable energy resources, the archipelagic setting of the country and its vulnerability to disasters limit its rural communities’ access to national electricity networks. In mountainous areas where suitable streamflow and slopes exist, installing micro-hydropower (MHP) schemes is a common off-grid solution; however, understanding which factors lead to the success or failure of these systems in a disaster-prone context needs further research. To identify key factors, this study draws on the knowledge and experiences of 45 project implementers (both local and international) and 51 community members of 13 different villages, which were purposively selected from the three major island groups in the country. A mixed-methods approach was used, where both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed from surveys, semi-structured interviews and site observations. Differences in perceptions were then compared, not only across stakeholder groups but also across regions.

Results indicate that, across stakeholder groups, “community participation and sense of ownership” was considered to be the greatest determinant of success of a micro-hydro scheme whereas the “lack of regular and proper maintenance of civil works and equipment” was perceived to be the leading cause of its failure. Emerging themes from this study likewise suggested that understanding the village context is crucial to the success and sustainability of MHP schemes. For a project to be successful, it must be designed according to the existing resources, specific needs and the level of social preparedness of a target community. It was also found that while there is a strong consensus in the opinions of local and international implementers, there are significant differences in the perceptions of the international community and the community members. In general, the differences in perceptions among stakeholder groups are thought to reflect the differences in the levels of awareness, expectations and motivation among stakeholders.

In the future, best practices in providing energy may mean that implementers look at the entire value chain of MHP schemes and start to design complementary projects that seek to understand the priorities of the villages, improve their existing capabilities and find ways to implement sustainability plans that include adaptive strategies for coping with natural disasters and climate variabilities.