President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says that the energy sector is continuously being upgraded to meet the growing demand in the next years.
“As energy projects get completed and new investments pour into the sector, we expect our nation’s power supply to increase at a steady pace to meet our growing demand in the next few years. Nonetheless, we are continuously diagnosing and urgently addressing power shortages, as well as the systemic causes of blackouts in unserved and underserved areas,” Marcos Jr. said in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA)
Marcos Jr. added that the government has been ironing out the lack of power supply in far-flung areas through microgrid and off-grid systems, and missionary small power utilities that are being run by solar power.
He cited a surge in the inauguration of transmission grids aimed at strengthening grid reliability. For example, the recently launched Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose transmission line is set to bolster the reinforcement of the Luzon power grid.
Meanwhile, in the Visayas region, significant progress has been made with the completion of the Cebu-Negros-Panay backbone projec, as well as the energization of the Dumanjug-Corella Line as part of the Cebu-Bohol Interconnection Project, facilitating power transfer between Cebu and Bohol.
“With these systems currently operating at capacity, these major power lines shall contribute to the efficient power exchanges not only between Luzon and the Visayas, but also involving Mindanao. Energy sharing and transfers between, among, and within the three island groups have now been made possible with the energization last January of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection,” said Marcos Jr.
The chief executive said that in order to mitigate the continuous increase of energy prices, the government implemented the Lifeline Rate program for the beneficiaries of 4Ps.
There was also a temporary suspension of the FIT-All Tariff in electric bills, along with the implementation of the Anti-Bill Shock Program. The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market was also suspended during peak red alerts in the Luzon and Visayas grids, and consumers are receiving refunds and excess charge removals, such as franchise fees.
Marcos Jr. also highlighted that the government working on certain solar-powered irrigation systems, citing the Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Project situated in Quirino, Isabela.
“Moving forward, irrigation dams will supplement all our other bulk water projects to ensure water security for our people, especially in the underserved areas,” said the Chief Executive.
Marcos Jr. also noted in his SONA that solar-powered electricity must be a “standard feature” in the country’s schools, under a “educational reform through technology.”
