The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) has called for urgent action to diversify Siquijor’s power mix. It warns that the island’s ongoing power crisis exposes the danger of relying on a single centralized fuel supplier.

The entire island currently depends on the diesel-powered Siquijor Island Power Corporation (SIPCOR), which holds a 20-year supply contract. Despite multiple generators, SIPCOR has been unable to meet the island’s demand since May 2025, thus resulting in rotating blackouts in the province.

ICSC, posting on their website, stressed that the crisis showcases the need to prioritize indigenous and distributed renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, with diesel generators only serving as backups. It said that hybrid systems, combining both renewable energy sources and diesel facilities, could reduce fuel dependence, cut costs, and improve supply reliability. Then, eventually, phasing out diesel as energy storage technologies become more affordable.

The group welcomed the planned installation of a 5MW ground-mounted solar facility in Maria, Siquijor, expected to begin generating power by 2026, but emphasized the need for immediate measures to address the supply gap. Among its recommendations are:

• A review and alignment of the island’s Power Supply Procurement Plan (PSPP) with the Provincial Development Plan to ensure demand can be met and the supply portfolio diversified
• Preventive maintenance of generation assets, sufficient fuel planning, and backup generators during scheduled outages
• Encouraging households to adopt rooftop solar systems and join the net-metering program to reduce bills and boost supply
• Promoting distributed energy resource (DER) adoption among commercial consumers to ease grid pressure
• Clarifying whether Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UCME) funds can be used for renewable energy capital expenditures

ICSC cited success stories from Guiuan, Eastern Samar, and Paranas, Samar as proof of the concept. The local governments of these provinces integrated renewable energy goals into development plans and partnered with civil society groups, cooperatives, and development agencies to deliver small scale renewable energy projects in remote areas.

According to ICSC, adopting similar models could help Siquijor strengthen its energy security, support its tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and community enterprises. All of which could rely heavily on affordable and reliable power. The group added that acting now to tap the island’s abundant renewable resources would improve resilience, reduce vulnerability to large-scale outages, and boost self-sufficiency in off-grid areas nationwide.

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