The Department of Energy (DOE) has placed hospitals, water stations, evacuation sites, and other lifeline facilities at the top of its power restoration agenda following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the DOE and the energy sector are working with “unwavering urgency” to restore electricity in affected communities, with mobile generator sets on standby to provide immediate backup power where needed.

As of 9:00 AM on October 1, the DOE reported that 214 out of 309 municipalities in the Visayas (69.26%) have been re-energized. Fifteen electric cooperatives are back to normal operations, while four are experiencing partial interruptions: CEBECO II, DORELCO, LEYECO IV, and LEYECO V. Five cooperatives remain without service—SAMELCO I, SAMELCO II, ESAMELCO, NORSAMELCO, and LEYECO II—this leaves 844,428 consumers still without power.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas grid under Yellow Alert after 27 power plants tripped, resulting in 1,658 megawatts (MW) becoming unavailable. Several transmission lines were also affected. Meanwhile, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) suspended Visayas market operations at 10:05 PM on September 30.

DOE emphasized that round-the-clock restoration efforts will continue, with technical teams deployed to assess damage and restore service in coordination with local authorities and communities.

How can the Philippines further strengthen its power infrastructure to ensure faster recovery of lifeline services after natural disasters?

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