The Regional Development Council (RDC-6) has called on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to declare a “state of power emergency” in the Visayas amid a worsening regional power crisis.
Lawyer Jobert Peñaflorida, RDC-6 co-chair, said that the council is finalizing an urgent resolution directed at the President.
The proposed declaration aims to streamline the processing of permits and accelerate the deployment of corrective measures and new energy projects across the Visayas.
The council is also crafting a resolution to explore a power grid interconnection between the Visayas and Luzon.
“We want to connect Visayas to Luzon in terms of power supply. This will be very technical; it will not be immediate,” Peñaflorida said.
Department of Energy (DOE) data presented during the Sept. 14 RDC-6 meeting showed that Luzon currently holds a surplus of over 3,000 megawatts (MW), boasting an available supply of 14,262 MW against a peak demand of 10,780 MW.
In stark contrast, the Visayas faces a crippling 415-MW supply deficit, triggering frequent red and yellow alerts and rolling blackouts.
Western Visayas is especially vulnerable due to its location at the tail end of the distribution grid.
While acknowledging that connecting the Visayas to Luzon is a highly technical, long-term endeavor, Peñaflorida stressed its necessity.
“Considering that we are looking at the power crisis or power situation to be very challenging in the next three to five years, we welcome this so we won’t have to wait for another crisis,” Peñaflorida said.
RDC-6 plans to invite development councils in Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the newly established Negros Island Region (NIR) to join the collective appeal.
Immediate relief is expected over the coming weeks as major power plants resume operations:
▪️Therma Visayas (Cebu): Scheduled to return online, adding 300 MW to the grid.
▪️Panay Energy Development Corp. (Iloilo): Expected to resume operations on Oct. 3, adding another 150 MW.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin tapped the RDC to help monitor the rehabilitation of these facilities to ensure they stay on schedule.
Additionally, the DOE is rolling out ancillary services—including 253 MW of battery energy storage systems, such as a 50-MW installation in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo—to capture excess off-peak power and stabilize the grid.IMT
