In order to remedy the worsening power services in Malapascua Island, the Cebu Provincial Government decided to be its power provider moving forward.
On May 21, four generator sets, each with a capacity of 500 KVA (500 kilovolt-ampere), were delivered to the island. These have enough capacity to address Malapascua’s peak demand of 2 megawatts as 1,000 kVG is equivalent to 1 megawatt.
Later in the year on August 6, the occasion of Cebu’s 455th founding anniversary, Gov. Gwen Garcia flew to Malapascua to lead 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.
The Capitol’s intervention followed an 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 had 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PSPI’s service degradation, attributed to outdated equipment and infrastructure, had severely impacted daily life and the island’s economy.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 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.
(𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳-𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 2024)