HERE WE go again! The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has announced a scheduled power interruption on Saturday, June 21, 2025, lasting 13 hours, from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., for the “Reconductoring of Corella–Tagbilaran 69kV Line.” Tagbilaran City, my home city, will be entirely without power for thirteen hours. Wow! Welcome to the nineties! But wait, we’re no longer there.
It will be recalled that Tagbilaran City experienced the same length of power interruption on a previous Saturday, May 31, 2025, for the same reason:
“Reconductoring of Corella–Tagbilaran 69kV Line and energization activities as part of the NGCP Visayas Substation Upgrading Project.” It declared a scheduled power interruption from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., and true to their word, electricity was cut off at 5 a.m. and was restored at 5:54 p.m. on my watch. That long!
Now, I am just wondering why this work activity cannot be undertaken in a manner that minimizes inconvenience to power users. I’m sure there are creative ways to execute the work while reducing the woes it brings to electric consumers.
First, why can’t NGCP devise a plan to implement these line activities for just four (4) hours each Saturday until the job is done, rather than this exhausting 13-hour continuous stretch?
Second, why can’t NGCP mobilize line teams from Cebu to assist the Bohol line crews and accomplish the line work together in, say, eight hours, the most, since several line teams are involved? The presence of additional line personnel and equipment to assist the existing Bohol line crews, when well-coordinated, can reduce the work hours with an optimal result.
Come on, the Corella–Tagbilaran 69kV Line is only six (6) kilometers long. Surely, six kilometers of line work is not that difficult for a giant transmission network like NGCP to accomplish.
Mobilization of line crews and equipment from the different regions to restore toppled towers, broken poles, and knocked-down power lines is the company’s automatic response in the aftermath of typhoons and other force majeure. They even use their company choppers to deliver concrete poles, heavy equipment, and other materials to risky locations just to conduct the task. The work is well-planned, accomplished with targets in mind, massive, and fast. Given that, we can easily deploy the line crews of Cebu to help Bohol undertake this six-kilometer-long reconductoring activity. I have served the power industry for twenty years, particularly in Region 12. I know it can be done.
Undoubtedly, NGCP has the resources to undertake this. We, Boholanos and the Filipino people, must remember that NGCP is the sole transmission network in the country. They have no competition. They are a giant organization with enormous resources.
At the end of the day, power consumers should be the No. 1 priority of NGCP because when we fail to pay, our electric connection is cut off. But when NGCP fails to deliver, are they made accountable and required to pay for the duration of the interrupted power service that we, power consumers, must endure? Answer: No. Is there a rebate each time the electric service is not available? Answer: No. Is there a “Power Disruption Rebate?” Answer: No.
Oh, you can easily rationalize, “But you are not paying for the unused power supply. It’s even savings on your part because your power consumption is reduced.” But did we ask for the brownouts to occur so we can save? No. You ask us to bear with your brownouts, your scheduled and unscheduled power interruptions. Are you made to pay for our inconvenience?
Are you reading the “Comments” below your announcements in your Meta page? Are you aware of the indignation of dissatisfied power consumers from many parts of the country? Are you tabulating the number of angry vis-à-vis satisfied consumers? You should. It’s your job.
Oddly, the so-called leadership of Bohol and Tagbilaran City is quiet about these prolonged power disruptions. Is this the kind of “progress” you are brandishing about? Stop with the sloganeering and buckle down to work.
NGCP, let me say it again, 13-hour power interruptions, whether scheduled or unscheduled, at any length, are unacceptable to us Boholanos! We live in the 21st century. Give us a break! Get real!
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales every Saturday, 10 a.m., at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Email at belindabelsales@gmail.com. X @ShilohRuthie./PN
