Marcos orders six-month deadline to fix Siquijor power crisis under Villar-owned firm
Metro Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a full resolution to Suquijor’s energy crisis within six months as it has crippled the island-province’s economy, public services, and livelihood.
Marcos orders six-month deadline to fix Siquijor power crisis under Villar-owned firm
The president issued the ultimatum on Wednesday, June 11, warning power provider Siquijor Island Power Corporation (SIPCOR) of the Villar Group of Companies that failure to deliver a permanent fix to the persistent outages is unacceptable.
“Hindi puwedeng hindi ibibigay. Hindi puwede. That just cannot be, [It cannot be that it won’t be delivered. That’s not acceptable],” the president said.
Marcos lamented that the island’s rapid development and growing reputation as a tourist destination are being stalled by the unreliable power supply.
“Siquijor is growing so quickly and becoming a tourist destination. They are losing that opportunity to develop because of the lack of electricity,” he said.
In response, two generator sets, one a two-megawatt modular unit from Palawan Electric Cooperative, and the other a rental genset from SIPCOR, have been deployed to the island. These are expected to arrive between Wednesday night and Thursday, but Marcos emphasized they are only temporary measures.
He said SIPCOR must meet its obligation to provide stable power to residents through the local electric cooperative, PROSIELCO.
“The cooperative is already paying. The problem is the provider. That’s what needs to be fixed,” Marcos said.
The president tasked the National Electrification Administration (NEA) with leading the crisis response, including technical support, coordination with local officials, and daily monitoring. NEA chief Antonio Mariano Almeda has outlined an action plan aimed at restoring reliable service.
Marcos also ordered a full legal review and audit of the agreement between SIPCOR and PROSIELCO to determine possible contractual lapses or potential grounds for accountability. He warned that depending on the findings, the government may take stronger action.
“This is not just a technical matter; this is an issue of public trust and accountability,” said Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro during a press briefing.
Castro confirmed that SIPCOR is owned by the Villar Group and acknowledged that the crisis has been ongoing for far too long.
“The president wants SIPCOR to act. This issue should have been resolved long ago. We hope they do not abandon their obligations to their friends in Siquijor,” she said.
The six-month period, Marcos said, should be used to implement a permanent fix, not only generator deployment but also long-term upgrades such as plant repairs, transmission line improvements, fuel supply stabilization, and technical compliance.
Restoring power
In a statement sent to NewsWatch Plus, SIPCOR said it is implementing corrective measures to resolve the power supply challenges in Siquijor.
The company said that corrective maintenance for one of its service units has been completed on Monday resulting in an increase of 7,550 kilowatts to the total operating capacity of the plant.
“Additionally, another unit is also undergoing evaluation and assessment for corrective maintenance and is expected to be completed by the middle of the week. In the meantime, while this repair is ongoing, an additional genset has also been rented to cover the supply shortage and to have the power gradually restored within the week,” SIPCOR said.
“We understand the inconvenience this may cause and we assure our customers that our technical teams are working diligently to restore power as quickly and safely as possible,” it added.
The Villar Group was also at the center of poor utility services in local water districts spread out nationwide under PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation. Malacanang has also ordered the regulatory body to look into the issue.
