BUSINESS
Advocates Philippines
DOE Shuts Down SIPCOR Plants, Fast-Tracks New Power Facilities In Siquijor Following Marcos' Directive
Photo credit: RTVM
The Department of Energy (DOE) has confirmed the immediate shutdown of Siquijor Island Power Corporation’s (SIPCOR) generating plants after the Energy Regulatory Commission revoked all its provisional authorities to operate, citing repeated violations and persistent service failures.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin announced the decision on Friday, stressing that it comes in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) and during his June 11 inspection of SIPCOR’s facilities. The President earlier ordered both short- and long-term measures to resolve Siquijor’s chronic power supply crisis.
“Malinaw po ang utos ng Pangulo. Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang idinudulot na kawalan sa ekonomiya at pinsala sa kabuhayan ng kapabayaang ito,” Garin said, noting how the province suffered months of crippling outages.
A NEA audit revealed that from January to June, SIPCOR logged a staggering 568 power interruptions—an average of 31 outages monthly—with residents enduring rotating brownouts lasting up to 11 hours a day. Even after the President’s visit, the situation remained dire: from June 16 to August 25, consumers faced average daily outages of six hours, with power interruptions recorded on every single day between July 20 and August 4.
The impact was severe—hospitals, schools, and businesses, particularly the tourism sector, were left struggling under the unstable power supply. SIPCOR also failed to maintain the mandated minimum fuel inventory, meeting requirements only 21 out of 71 monitored days.
To address the crisis, Siquijor’s distribution utility, PROSIELCO, signed Emergency Power Supply Agreements with TotalPower Inc. for 15.3 MW of supply from three new generation facilities on the island. With assistance from the NEA and partner cooperatives CEBECO I and III, construction and installation of these plants were expedited, with crews working round-the-clock to ensure timely synchronization with PROSIELCO’s distribution lines.
Garin assured residents that SIPCOR’s exit paves the way for more reliable service: “Today’s order to shut down the plants puts an end to the disruption that SIPCOR has brought to the people of Siquijor. We have laid down the path toward a future of improved power service on the island.”
She added that the government will not allow such failures to recur, emphasizing that protecting livelihoods and ensuring stable electricity remains a core priority in the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” agenda.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin announced the decision on Friday, stressing that it comes in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive in his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) and during his June 11 inspection of SIPCOR’s facilities. The President earlier ordered both short- and long-term measures to resolve Siquijor’s chronic power supply crisis.
“Malinaw po ang utos ng Pangulo. Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang idinudulot na kawalan sa ekonomiya at pinsala sa kabuhayan ng kapabayaang ito,” Garin said, noting how the province suffered months of crippling outages.
A NEA audit revealed that from January to June, SIPCOR logged a staggering 568 power interruptions—an average of 31 outages monthly—with residents enduring rotating brownouts lasting up to 11 hours a day. Even after the President’s visit, the situation remained dire: from June 16 to August 25, consumers faced average daily outages of six hours, with power interruptions recorded on every single day between July 20 and August 4.
The impact was severe—hospitals, schools, and businesses, particularly the tourism sector, were left struggling under the unstable power supply. SIPCOR also failed to maintain the mandated minimum fuel inventory, meeting requirements only 21 out of 71 monitored days.
To address the crisis, Siquijor’s distribution utility, PROSIELCO, signed Emergency Power Supply Agreements with TotalPower Inc. for 15.3 MW of supply from three new generation facilities on the island. With assistance from the NEA and partner cooperatives CEBECO I and III, construction and installation of these plants were expedited, with crews working round-the-clock to ensure timely synchronization with PROSIELCO’s distribution lines.
Garin assured residents that SIPCOR’s exit paves the way for more reliable service: “Today’s order to shut down the plants puts an end to the disruption that SIPCOR has brought to the people of Siquijor. We have laid down the path toward a future of improved power service on the island.”
She added that the government will not allow such failures to recur, emphasizing that protecting livelihoods and ensuring stable electricity remains a core priority in the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” agenda.
Aug 29, 2025
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