Panay grid faces supply woes

ILOILO CITY — Power supply stability has emerged as a major concern among governors in Western Visayas as the Panay Island grid continues to face supply challenges.

Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores, chair of the Regional Development Council in Western Visayas, said Panay governors raised the issue with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla during his visit to Iloilo on 9 September.

Miraflores said Remulla committed to coordinate with Energy Secretary Sharon Garin to determine the problems affecting the region’s electricity supply and identify measures to address them.

The power situation in the Visayas will also be discussed during the RDC meeting on 24 September, he said.

The Department of Energy (DoE) has been invited to the meeting to provide an update on the region’s power situation and present its plans, including short-term interventions and a long-term master plan to ensure power stability in Panay.

Miraflores said several renewable energy projects are being planned for Panay Island, but authorities still need to determine which projects and locations would best address the island’s long-term energy requirements.

He said the governors are ready to support DoE initiatives to resolve the power supply problem.

Remulla visited the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, where he was received by Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., Antique Gov. Paolo Javier, Capiz Gov. Fredenil Castro and Miraflores.

The governors’ push comes amid recurring power supply concerns in Panay that have affected households, businesses and other critical sectors across the island.