Eastern Visayas Power Crisis Prompts Demands for Accountability

Posted on May 23, 2026 at 4:36 pm

TACLOBAN CITY — The recurring power outages in Eastern Visayas have evolved from being mere inconveniences to significant disruptions that impact livelihoods, public services, and daily routines for many residents.

During prolonged brownouts, families face sleepless nights, businesses suffer financial setbacks, and essential services like hospitals and schools struggle to function normally when the power grid fails.

Former Bayan Muna Congressman Atty. Neri Colmenares, who is in the city today, May 22, as a lecturer at the National Convention of Lawyers held in Tropics Hotel, Palo Leyte, highlighted the ongoing energy crisis in the Visayas as a reflection of deeper systemic issues, particularly the lack of accountability in the operations of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

This concern arises as rotational brownouts persist in parts of Samar and Leyte following red and yellow alert declarations by NGCP due to insufficient power reserves and multiple power plant outages in the Visayas grid.

NGCP has cautioned several electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas, including Leyeco 11, Leyeco 111, Leyeco IV, Leyeco V, NORSAMELCO, SAMELCO 11, and ESAMELCO, about potential manual load shedding and rotational power interruptions to prevent a complete grid collapse.

NGCP attributed this to the increased electricity demand during the dry season, coupled with forced outages and reduced generating capacity from various power plants, resulting in over 800 megawatts of unavailable electricity capacity due to technical and operational issues.

But for Colmenares, the repeated outages expose more than just technical failures.

“It is not just the convenience of the people because it’s hot or businesses are being ruined,” he said, emphasizing that brownouts also disrupt hospitals, schools, communication systems, and media operations across the region.

He questioned why consumers continue paying monthly charges for “ancillary services,” which are intended to provide reserve electricity supply during emergencies and prevent widespread outages.

“It turns out the reserve we pay for every month is useless,” Colmenares said.

He called for an investigation by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to determine accountability within the power transmission system and address the recurring grid failures.

In addition to unstable electricity supply, consumers in Eastern Visayas are facing escalating power rates due to fluctuating generation and transmission charges influenced by fuel costs and supply shortages.

Colmenares criticized additional charges like ‘system loss’ fees, questioning why consumers should pay for electricity lost through technical inefficiencies and illegal connections.

He likened the practice to a store owner charging honest customers for goods stolen by thieves.

“Why should ordinary consumers pay for electricity they never used?” he asked.

The former lawmaker also questioned the continued imposition of the 12-percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on system losses, saying consumers are effectively being taxed for electricity that never reached their homes.

“You didn’t bring anything home, yet you paid VAT,” he said.

He also raised concerns about the lack of transparency in fuel pricing by oil companies, urging clear explanations of costs passed on to consumers to prevent excessive charges and ensure fair pricing.

Colmenares urged residents of Eastern Visayas to demand transparency, accountability, and reforms from government agencies and private utility companies to ensure a reliable electricity supply, which is essential for public welfare, economic stability, and community well-being in the region.

Photo by: Jazmin Bonifacio