Philippines appoints 25-year-old Mandy Romero as DOE’s youngest assistant secretary

The Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) has named 25-year-old entrepreneur and youth advocate Mandy Romero as its newest assistant secretary, making her the youngest official to ever take on the role within the department and one of the youngest assistant secretaries in the national government.

Romero was sworn in by Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, whose leadership has focused on accelerating the country’s energy resilience following recent typhoons and advancing a more inclusive clean-energy agenda. Romero’s appointment, according to DOE insiders, reflects Garin’s renewed push to integrate younger voices and more diverse perspectives into the agency’s energy transition strategy.

Before joining the DOE, Romero gained international visibility as the Philippine youth representative to the United Nations, where she addressed the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. In her speech, she called for stronger policies on education equity, poverty reduction, rural electrification, and food security, issues she has consistently championed in her work.

Outside the public sector, Romero founded Capital1 Solar Energy, a company involved in developing industrial-scale solar power facilities across the Philippines. Her involvement in women’s sports, particularly through the Capital1 Solar Spikers in the PVL, has also positioned her as an advocate for empowering young women in both athletics and STEM fields.

Romero, a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University, said stepping into public service marks a defining moment in her career. “Serving our country is the greatest honor of my life. I’m inspired to work alongside the dedicated and passionate public servants of the DOE,” she shared.

Her appointment is widely seen as a signal that the DOE aims to blend technical expertise with next-generation leadership as the Philippines intensifies efforts around renewable energy expansion, infrastructure resilience, and nationwide electrification.