President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured Siquijor residents of swift government action to resolve the island’s worsening power crisis, setting a six-month deadline for both short- and long-term solutions.
During an on-site inspection, the President acknowledged the severe impact of extended blackouts on residents and local businesses, especially as the province evolves into a major tourist destination.
“People only get electricity for two to five hours a day. This can’t continue,” Marcos noted.
“The people of Siquijor are the victims here, and we need to fix this immediately,” he added, To address the crisis in the short term, the Chief Executive said the government has deployed two modular generator sets from Palawan, expected to arrive within 24 hours.
These generators are seen as a temporary fix to restore full electricity service while the government works with the Siquijor Island Power Corporation (SIPCOR) on a long-term solution.
“This genset solution is only temporary,” Marcos pointed out.
“Within six months, we will have a permanent fix in place so that we don’t have to rely on emergency generators again,” he added.
The President stressed that SIPCOR must fulfil its obligations, adding that damage to the power system was partly due to operational failures.
“The government will do its part. SIPCOR must do theirs,” he said.
Marcos also said the government is open to all solutions, including replacing SIPCOR as the power supplier.
“Everything is on the table. We just have to examine what is the best solution. We have some very good ideas,” he said.
Marcos added that his administration is also looking into issues such as fuel supply, transmission lines, and equipment repair.
The President also noted that the National Electrification Administration (NEA) has laid out a framework for addressing the crisis, and detailed planning is now underway.
