Mindanao’s economic momentum could be derailed if power supply problems are not resolved, a top Meralco official warned during the Mindanao Business Conference in Tagum City.

Meralco senior vice president and chief external and government affairs officer Arnel Casanova said frequent outages, system losses, and financial difficulties among electric cooperatives continue to hamper electrification and pose risks to businesses, as stated in a report by Manila Standard.

“Power — both its cost and its reliability — directly affects your operations,” Casanova told participants at the conference. “An outage doesn’t just flicker the lights. It stops production. It destroys value.”

He noted that while Mindanao is already growing faster than the national average, unreliable electricity could stunt this progress. “But if power is not made reliable, that growth will be stunted,” he said.

Casanova cited Batangas as a case study, where reliable electricity supply fueled industrial growth and job creation. Energy sales in the province grew at a 14.1% compound annual growth rate in areas with strong distribution. “The logic is straightforward: investors will not come if power is unreliable,” he said.

According to Casanova, stronger collaboration between Meralco, electric cooperatives, and the business community could help ensure a more resilient energy sector for Mindanao.

“With stronger utilities, it can grow like Batangas,” he said. “Together, Meralco, the electric cooperatives, and the business community…we can build a stronger Mindanao and, in the process, a stronger Philippines.”

Do you think partnerships between major utilities and cooperatives are the key to solving Mindanao’s power supply issues?

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