NEA: Power successfully restored in Siquijor

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) over the weekend said it has successfully restored power in the Siquijor Province, meeting the deadline set by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

In a statement released through the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the NEA said it expedited repairs on power generator sets of the Siquijor Island Power Corp. (SIPCOR), and facilitated the transport and installation of a generator set from the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO).

Additional rental generator sets from SIPCOR helped secure supply, bringing the dependable capacity to 11 megawatts (MW), above the province’s peak demand of 9 MW, with 1.65 MW in reserve for contingencies.

“NEA remains committed to monitoring the power situation in Siquijor to ensure that families, businesses, and schools continue to enjoy reliable electricity in the days and weeks ahead,” the statement read.

Under its mandate, the NEA is tasked to promote sustainable rural electrification, and empower electric cooperatives to bring electricity to the countryside, including missionary and economically unviable areas.

The provincial government of Siquijor, through its Sangguniang Panlalawigan, earlier this month declared a state of calamity due to the worsening power crisis as residents have been facing rotational brownouts since May 13, 2025.

Marcos earlier instructed NEA administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda to restore stable power supply to the province by June 15, 2025, and  imposed a six-month deadline for short-term solutions to address the power crisis in the area.

The President inspected the SIPCOR power plant in the province last week, as he directed an investigation on SIPCOR’s operations amid the ongoing power issues, adding that he is open to the possibility of having another power provider in the province.

In a separate statement, the Department of Energy (DOE) said two SIPCOR generation units are undergoing repair, with one expected to be completed on June 18, and the other on July 18.

“We commend the swift and coordinated action of NEW, SIPCOR, the Provincial Government of Siquijor and our partner electric cooperatives in bringing relief to the people of Siquijor,” DOE officer-in-charge Sharon Garin said.

“This is a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to ensure energy security and equitable access to electricity, especially in remote and island provinces,” she added. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/RF/BM, GMA Integrated News