In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to urgently resolve the power situation in the Province of Siquijor, the Department of Energy (DOE), in close coordination with the National Electrification Administration (NEA), has successfully implemented immediate measures to stabilize and restore electricity supply to the island.

Energy Officer-in-Charge Sharon S. Garin announced that the combined efforts of the DOE, NEA and the Provincial Government of Siquijor have significantly improved the island’s power situation. As of 14 June 2025, the total available capacity in the province has reached 10.6 megawatts (MW). Of this, 7.2 MW comes from the 6 operational out of 8 existing generation units of the Siquijor Island Power Corporation (SIPCOR), the 1.7 MW generator sets deployed by the Palawan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PALECO), which was successfully synchronized to the grid at 6:44 PM on June 14, and the 1.7 MW from SIPCOR’s two (2) rented gensets.

Meanwhile, repair works on the two remaining SIPCOR units --- Units 7 and 8 are ongoing and are expected to be completed by June 18 for Unit 8 and July 18 for Unit 7.

To further ensure the continuous power supply in the province, the DOE will closely monitor SIPCOR’s regulatory compliance with the Energy Regulatory Commission, the timely repair of its genset units and the delivery of fuel supply. SIPCOR has committed to meeting the minimum 10-day fuel inventory requirement within the next ten days to ensure the continuous operations of all its generator sets.

The DOE will also coordinate with the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PROSIELCO) regarding the Certificate of Conformity issued by NEA to proceed with the conduct of competitive selection process for the procurement of 5-11 MW of baseload power supply.

“We commend the swift and coordinated action of NEA, SIPCOR, the Provincial Government of Siquijor and our partner electric cooperatives in bringing relief to the people of Siquijor,” OIC 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.”

As part of its continuing initiatives, the DOE, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Siquijor, will soon sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to provide technical assistance for the deployment of solar energy solutions in government buildings. This initiative aims to institutionalize energy efficiency in the public sector by supplying equipment that supports and promotes energy efficiency and conservation practices.

In addition, the DOE anticipates the timely implementation of a ground-mounted solar power project in the Municipality of Maria with an indicative capacity of 5 MW. The project proponent has already secured possessory rights over the site and received a resolution of support from the local government unit. Civil works are currently underway, alongside the conduct of the required Distribution Impact Study (DIS) and System Impact Study (SIS). Project commissioning is targeted by November 2026.

The DOE is also closely coordinating with the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) on the design and implementation of the looping configuration for Siquijor's transmission system, and PROSIELCO to ensure its seamless integration. This configuration is expected to enhance the reliability and resilience of power delivery across the island, reduce the risk of outages by providing alternate power flow paths, and support the integration of renewable energy sources to meet the growing demand for electricity in the province.

The DOE will continue to monitor the power situation in Siquijor and is working closely with all stakeholders to ensure the action plans to achieve long-term energy sustainability in the province are carried out. ###