Siquijor province is hopeful for a stable power supply by December after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced measures to address the ongoing power crisis on the island.
Lawyer Dale Tudtud, the provincial administrator and concurrent tourism officer, expressed the residents’ delight at the President’s commitment to resolving the province’s power issues during his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday. “We are happy that the President took notice of our humble island, even though we are the third smallest island in the country, and promised to fix the erratic power situation here in Siquijor,” Tudtud stated in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday.
With the President’s directives to relevant agencies, Tudtud believes there is renewed hope for Siquijor to recover and enhance its tourism and economy. In his SONA, Marcos emphasized that the power crisis in Siquijor should be resolved and should not be repeated elsewhere in the country, asserting that he would not allow this issue to persist.
Earlier this year, the island experienced frequent brownouts, leading to significant inconvenience and a declaration of a state of calamity. Following this, the President visited Siquijor and discovered inoperative power generators, expired permits, and a lack of systematic procurement of fuel and parts during an investigation.
Marcos directed the Department of Energy, the National Electrification Administration (NEA), and the Energy Regulatory Commission to implement measures to restore normal power supply in Siquijor by the end of the year. “Titiyakin naming na maitatag agad ang mga pasilidad para sa pangmatagalang lunas sa kanilang problema sa kuryente (we will ensure the immediate installation of facilities for a long-lasting solution to their power woes),” he stated.
Tudtud mentioned that they are awaiting an announcement by August 5 regarding a supplemental power supply agreement between the NEA and power firms in Siquijor. He expressed hope for the introduction of new players in the power sector, noting that “it has just been about a month since the President’s visit here, and now we are again experiencing some brownouts,” although not as prolonged as in previous months.
He criticized the Siquijor Power Corp. (SIPCOR) for failing to attend a recent meeting with the local disaster council, stating they did not have the courtesy to decline the invitation or inform them of their absence. SIPCOR did attend another meeting initiated by the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (Provincial Board), where they attributed the latest brownouts to operational issues, including broken generators.
“It is bewildering because SIPCOR already knows that ERC is looking into the power crisis and has sent show cause orders, but the problem is still around,” Tudtud remarked.
While a temporary solution involved bringing in a generator set from Palawan to boost the current power supply, Tudtud emphasized the need for a more permanent resolution, as ordered by the President. He also expressed hope that the country’s renewable energy plan, set to be in place by 2030, would include Siquijor, which relies heavily on tourism as a major source of income.
