President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial switch-on of the 17.8-megawatt New Siquijor Diesel Power Plants, declaring that the island province now has a stable and sufficient electricity supply after years of recurring brownouts.

Speaking at the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative (PROSIELCO) in Larena, the President said the three new facilities- located in Larena (4.4 MW), Lazi (6.6 MW), and Siquijor (6.8 MW) respectively- deliver nearly double the island’s peak demand of nine megawatts, with ample reserves for future needs.

“Kung ang demand ng Siquijor ay siyam na megawatts, ngayon ay 17 megawatts na ang supply natin kaya’t hindi na magkukulang,” Marcos said, adding that the increased capacity has already eased brownouts, with only minor system issues left to resolve.

The President emphasized that the project was a collaborative effort among the Department of Energy (DOE), National Electrification Administration (NEA), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), PROSIELCO, and partner cooperatives from Cebu. The intervention followed years of unreliable service from the Siquijor Island Power Corp. (SIPCOR), whose operating authority was revoked by the ERC due to multiple violations.

“The NEA and the ERC worked together, pinagtrabahuhan ito pero of course, under the Department of Energy ay trinabaho nila para sila na, ang PROSIELCO na ang magpatakbo,” Marcos said.

The Chief Executive also recognized the efforts of linemen, workers, and volunteers, including those from Cebu, who helped restore electricity on the island. “We have to thank itong mga lineman, ‘yung iba taga-Cebu pa, at mga volunteer lahat ‘yan,” he said.

According to Marcos, Siquijor now has mechanisms to transfer power between the three plants in case of localized outages, thus further securing reliability. He assured residents that the government remains committed to strengthening energy security and modernizing electricity services in underserved provinces.

Do you think the government should prioritize similar fast-tracked power projects in other islands facing unreliable electricity supply?

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Photo Credit: Presidential Communications Office Website