The Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) has opened registration for pre-qualification under the Fifth Auction Round of the Green Energy Auction Program (GEA-5), formally starting the process for the country’s first offshore wind auction.

Under a DOE notice issued on 2 March 2026, the pre-qualification registration window runs from 2 March 2026 to 16 March 2026. The qualification process is scheduled to continue until early July 2026, when the DOE is set to publish the list of qualified bidders.

The notice also sets the bidding timetable. The auction’s bidding phase is due to start in late July 2026 and run through late September 2026, after which provisional winning bidders are expected to be announced.

GEA-5 is the Philippines’ first auction round dedicated exclusively to offshore wind. The DOE issued the Notice of Auction and Terms of Reference on 25 November 2025. The round will offer 3,300 MW of offshore wind capacity for delivery between 2028 and 2030, and is limited to fixed-bottom projects aligned with current grid and port readiness.

Ahead of the auction, the government in February 2026 awarded grid connection agreements to three offshore wind projects with a combined planned capacity of 1,650 MW: the 450 MW Frontera Bay, the 600 MW Guimaras Strait, and the 600 MW Guimaras Strait II. The projects are owned by a consortium comprising Seawind Asia, Stream Invest Holdings, and Triconti ECC Renewables.

The agreements define technical conditions and transmission requirements for connecting the projects to the Philippine grid. Under the country’s regulatory framework, projects must secure grid connection arrangements before participating in renewable energy auctions.