President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation into the Siquijor Island Power Corporation (SIPCOR), which has been placed at the center of an ongoing power crisis in the island province.
Malacañang through Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Marcos sought immediate resolution to this problem with outgoing Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and incoming Energy Secretary Sharon Garin tasked to lead the charge.
The directive comes as Siquijor continues to grapple with an ongoing energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by water shortages and loss of livelihood for many residents.
“The President has issued a directive for a comprehensive probe into the power provider, Siquijor Island Power [Corporation],” Castro said in a Palace briefing. “He has also ordered the immediate resolution of the longstanding power supply issues in the province,” she added.
Castro said short- and long-term solutions are now being prepared to address the crisis.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has acknowledged the problem, which it attributed to lack of power supply from SIPCOR, the energy provider. The whole province of Siquijor is currently under a state of calamity because of the recurring blackouts.
According to the DOE, SIPCOR has an installed capacity of 11.580 megawatts (MW), but only 8.816 MW is currently contracted to the Provincial Electric Cooperative of Siquijor (Prosielco), the island’s power distributor.
