President Marcos Sets Six-Month Deadline for Siquijor Energy Crisis
President Marcos has issued a firm six-month ultimatum to Siquijor Island Power Corp. (SIPCOR) to end the ongoing energy crisis in Siquijor. The President emphasized that a permanent solution is crucial and failure is not an option. This declaration follows weeks of widespread blackouts and rotational brownouts, with residents suffering power outages lasting up to 22 hours daily.
Marcos highlighted how the energy shortage severely affects daily life, business operations, and the burgeoning tourism industry in Siquijor. “The people are the victims of this situation. They cannot go about their business,” he said. Adding in Tagalog, “Siquijor is growing so quickly, it’s becoming a tourist destination. We are losing that opportunity to develop dahil nga dito sa kakulangan ng kuryente.”
Urgent Call for Permanent Energy Solution
The government has set a clear target: within six months, they expect a lasting fix to the power problems. “We have given ourselves a deadline of six months. Six months from now, we will then impose whatever new arrangements we have to do, so that six months from now, we do not have to resort to emergency gensets,” Marcos explained.
He insisted, “In the six months, tatrabahuhin namin na maayos na—na para meron na tayong permanent solution na ipapaandar six months from now.” This shows the administration’s commitment to resolving the crisis beyond temporary fixes.
President Marcos Urges SIPCOR to Uphold Commitments
The President directly challenged SIPCOR to meet its responsibilities toward the local electric cooperative and the island’s residents. “SIPCOR has to live up to its commitments,” he stated firmly. “The government will do its part. SIPCOR must do its part.”
Marcos outlined that the long-term plan involves repairing damaged infrastructure, improving fuel supplies, upgrading transmission lines, and ensuring backup generators function properly. He warned that failure by SIPCOR is unacceptable: “Hindi pwedeng ‘paanong hindi ibibigay’—hindi pwede. Talk to the people na walang kuryente.”
He added, “The governor has to explain that to his people every day. The cooperative is paying properly. The problem is the provider.”
Short-Term Relief While Working on Long-Term Fix
To ease the immediate power shortage, the government dispatched two large generator sets from Palawan to Siquijor. These temporary units aim to quickly restore electricity while SIPCOR repairs three damaged generation units.
“As we speak, we have deployed gensets from Palawan to temporarily restore the power supply, but this is only a short-term fix,” Marcos said. “Kapag naikabit na ’yon at mapaandar na ’yon, kumpleto na ang suplay.”
Despite the short-term relief, the President affirmed the ultimate goal remains a full and permanent solution.
Exploring All Options for Better Energy Supply
Responding to calls for a new energy provider, Marcos said, “Everything is on the table. We just have to examine what is the best solution.” He noted that the energy administrator has presented a potential framework, with more details to come after final planning.
“We will find a better system. We owe it to the people of Siquijor,” Marcos concluded.
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