Cebu Province’s 455th founding anniversary celebration today was made more meaningful after the Capitol took over as power provider of Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan.
Gov. Gwen Garcia, who was supposed to spend Cebu’s statutorily declared non-working charter day at the Capitol celebrating with employees, flew to Malapascua and led the ceremonial switch-on of power from the defective generators of Power Source Philippines, Inc. (PSPI) to the generator sets of the Capitol at around 3:50 p.m. on August 6.
The Capitol’s four generator sets, each with a robust of 500 KVA (500 kilovolt-ampere), are enough to address Malapascua’s peak power demand of 2 megawatts. (1,000 kVG is equivalent to 1 megawatt).
The transition ceremony was witnessed by Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura, Cebu II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CEBECO II) General Manager Lowell Belciña, Barangay Logon Captain Lemuel Daño, and Malapascua Business Association President Anna Reed.
The Capitol’s intervention followed a July 26-27 inspection by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) after an oil spill incident which exposed serious PSPI violations, including: operating without an Environmental Compliance Certificate, improper hazardous waste storage and labeling, exceeding oil and grease effluent standards, and improper wastewater discharge.
These issues posed substantial risks to the island’s environment, aquifer, and public health which prompted the Governor, upon invoking the General Welfare clause of the Local Government Code, to issue the order.
Malapascua Island, a renowned tourist destination, had faced deteriorating electricity services from PSPI since 2019. Residents and businesses have complained about frequent and prolonged power outages, the need to use personal generators during peak hours, and disconnection notices despite timely payments.
PSPI’s service degradation, attributed to outdated equipment and infrastructure, had severely impacted daily life and the island’s economy. The situation reached a critical point with a major blackout on August 5, 2024, which intensified disruptions for residents and businesses alike.
The cease and desist order was formally delivered to PSPI’s Site Supervisor, Wensie Laplana, and another order from the EMB was issued on August 7, 2024, further solidifying the action against PSPI.
This landmark decision by Gov. Gwen underscores her commitment to addressing the needs of Cebuanos and rectifying the shortcomings of previous service providers, ensuring a brighter and more sustainable future for Malapascua as it is among the prime beach and dive destinations in Cebu. I Jude Torres