ILOILO City – The Visayas may have to endure power supply shortages and recurring grid alerts for another two years, with Energy Secretary Sharon Garin saying the government’s long-term solution – additional power plants – is not expected to stabilize the region’s electricity supply until 2028.
In the meantime, the Department of Energy (DOE) is rushing temporary measures, including battery storage facilities and power barges, that could begin easing yellow and red alerts as early as next month.
Garin acknowledged that the short-term interventions would not completely eliminate the alerts that have contributed to rotational brownouts and manual load dropping (MLD) affecting Iloilo and other parts of the Visayas.
“Unfortunately ang power problem subong ginpanubli ta lang, indi sia ma-fix in one go or isa lang ka directive. It is power that takes five years to build. Ginapaspasan ta man subong pero the final long-term solution will be in 2028. I hope by next month, all these red and yellow alerts (while) indi ni sia madula, pero mabuhinan,” Garin said.
The DOE is pushing investors to shorten the usual five-year construction period for new power plants to three years, raising hopes that the Visayas grid could achieve greater stability by 2028.
Garin said the immediate relief could come from battery facilities in Santa Barbara and San Joaquin towns in Iloilo Province, which Garin said could provide 265 kilowatts of power.
The DOE expects the facilities to begin supplying electricity next month once they are connected to the grid.
Garin said she had directed the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) as early as June 2026 to draft the necessary contract to connect the two batteries to the grid and eventually to distribution utilities in Western Visayas, but the arrangement has yet to be completed.
Three power barges are also expected to provide additional supply to Panay Island and the Negros Island Region by the end of this year or the first quarter of 2027.
“Mabatyagan na by next month. Mabuhinan na gid man. Ang mahambal ko lang nga by end of the year, indi man maubos dula ang alerts pero at least mabuhinan sia,” Garin said.
She conceded that the temporary measures would be costly, but argued that the economic and social consequences of having no electricity are even more expensive.
“We are trying to find temporary solutions, not cheap but the most expensive power is no power at all. Basta may power lang si Iloilo and Panay para mabuhinan ang impacts sa negosyo, sa tindahan, hospital and balay. So, amo na ginapaspasan namon ang barges. I cannot promise you a total (relief) but hopefully we (will) have good Christmas this year,” Garin said.
The measures come as Ilonggos continue to grapple with rotational brownouts, particularly MLD, which Garin acknowledged have caused inconvenience to households, businesses and other electricity consumers.
She appealed for patience, saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is closely monitoring the Visayas power supply problem and has directed energy officials to accelerate solutions.
“Rest assured that President has been asking us, working with us to ensure that this fix as fast as we can. May limitation lang kita kay madugay ang mga projects. That’s why the DOE is working hard also to make sure that this comes as fast as we can (and) also as safe as we can. So, gamay lang nga pasensya,” Garin said after the “Handog ng Pangulo” activity at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on Monday, Sept. 14.
Garin said the current shortage underscored the need for authorities to anticipate and plan for the future electricity requirements of every region instead of waiting until supply becomes insufficient.
She also addressed calls from some netizens for her resignation over the continuing power supply problem.
“I work at the pleasure of the President and I leave it to him. If he thinks nga I’m not doing a good job or I should step down then, I will do so,” Garin said./PN
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