Governor Gwendolyn Garcia met with officials from the National Electrification Administration, the Department of Energy, and CEBECO II to discuss the next steps in securing a stable and long-term power supply for Malapascua Island.
With the Cebu Provincial Government having shouldered the island’s electricity needs since August 2024, the meeting focused on fulfilling the necessary requirements under the Micro-Grid System Program (MGSP) to transition to a sustainable and regulated power service.
Over P50 million has been spent by the Cebu Provincial Government since August 2024 when it took over the power supply generation in Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan, a tourism hotspot.
That is why Gov. Garcia is pushing for CEBECO II to complete the requirements set by the DOE so that it can start charging its consumers in the island, who until now are enjoying stable electricity service for free.
Among the requirements set is the MGSP, which would entitle the Province of Cebu to charge rates on the consumers, said Antonio Mariano Almeda, administrator of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
Almeda was at the Capitol on January 31 to discuss this matter with Gov. Gwen Garcia. He was joined by DOE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan and CEBECO II general manager Lowell Belciña.
“Malapascua is so fortunate to have Governor Gwen Garcia who can proactively act upon a crisis like that,” Almeda told Sugbo News. “What happened in Malapascua is just the inefficiency of the Qualified Third Party Operator.”
CEBECO II terminated its contract with PowerSource Philippines, Inc. (PSPI), the former power provider in the island, due to inadequate power service that resulted to massive power outages since 2019.
While CEBECO II is the exclusive franchise holder in the island, it waived it right to provide service in Malapascua in favor of PSPI, declaring Malapascua as a remote and unviable area.
PSPI’s unreliable power service in Malapascua prompted Gov. Garcia to purchase 4 generator sets capable of meeting the island’s power demand of 2 megawatts and take over in its power generation.
“Nakita ko sira-sira mga gen-sets. But with the new gen-sets acquired by the [Capitol] that would be a big assurance that Malapascua will be supplied with ample electricity,” Almeda said.
Once DOE grants the MGSP, the Province will step back from shouldering the island’s electricity needs, putting an end to the interim arrangement forged in time of great crisis. | BJR