The Center for Energy Research and Policy (CERP) has called for stronger integration of energy security into tourism planning. They warn that unreliable power supply poses a serious threat to the country’s top destinations.

In a recent meeting with the Department of Tourism (DOT), CERP presented its study “Blackout in Siargao: Energy Security for Tourism-Dependent Economies”, which examined the devastating effects of the 14-day power outage in December 2024. The failure of a 41-year-old submarine cable left nine municipalities in Siargao without electricity, including General Luna, home to the world-renowned Cloud 9 surf break.

According to CERP’s analysis, the outage resulted in about PHP1.09 billion in economic losses. Tourism establishments reported daily revenue losses of PHP10,000 to PHP30,000 during what should have been peak holiday season. This led to widespread cancellations and temporary closures of resorts, hotels, and restaurants.

“Energy disruptions have a profound ripple effect on tourism activities, causing both direct and indirect economic impacts,” said CERP lead economist Yla Paras. “The tourism industry can only function and thrive with a stable and sufficient electricity supply.”

The think tank noted that Siargao is not alone in facing energy insecurity. Palawan continues to suffer scheduled blackouts, Boracay endured an 18-hour outage in May 2025, Siquijor was placed under a state of calamity after a month-long outage in June 2025, and a four-day regional blackout in Panay caused PHP3.8 billion in losses for Iloilo alone.

To address these vulnerabilities, CERP offered to provide research support that combines legal, economic, and engineering expertise to help local governments integrate energy considerations into destination planning. The group said many LGUs currently lack the technical capacity to align infrastructure with tourism growth, thus resulting in reactive rather than proactive approaches.

Both CERP and the DOT discussed potential collaboration, with CERP committing to share its upcoming Siquijor study and provide research assistance for building energy-tourism frameworks.

The meeting highlighted the urgency of addressing energy security as a foundation for sustainable tourism development, with tourism contributing PHP3.86 trillion, or 8.9% of GDP, and employing 13.82% of the Philippine workforce in 2024.

Do you think the government should prioritize energy infrastructure upgrades in tourism hotspots to safeguard the industry’s growth?

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