The people of Negros Oriental have borne the brunt of planned power interruptions over the past several weekends. Entire days without electricity disrupted lives, livelihoods, and routines, sparking understandable frustration among residents.
But if there’s a silver lining, it’s this: those outages weren’t just routine maintenance—they were necessary steps toward a more stable and resilient power system, especially for Dumaguete City and its neighboring towns.
This week, officials from the National Grid Cor. of the Philippines and the Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative assured the public of a dependable power supply during the critical May 12 midterm elections.
This assurance follows the successful ‘reconductoring’ of the 69-kilovolt transmission line in Amlan—a crucial artery in the region’s power distribution.
According to NGCP Engr. Felix Vidaure, the upgrades now allow the line to carry a much heavier load, accommodating Dumaguete’s growing energy demands, and relieving a system that had been stretched to critical limits. It’s not the ultimate fix, but it’s an important interim measure.
Most significantly, NGCP has declared that no ‘manual load shedding’ is expected before, during, or after the elections. That alone is a sigh of relief for voters, poll workers, and the Commission on Elections.
The timing of these upgrades was also essential. A Circular from the Department of Energy’s mandates a suspension of maintenance work surrounding elections, ensuring that citizens can exercise their right to vote without fear of blackouts or vote-counting machine failures.
NORECO II is moving to coordinate with polling centers, and deploy emergency support where needed.
Of course, stability isn’t just about wires and substations. It’s also about coordination.
NGCP’s planned manpower deployment at substations and NORECO II’s collaboration with schools, local electricians, and security forces show the kind of proactive governance we need more of.
Let’s be clear: four weekends of outages were a tough pill to swallow. But if those sacrifices mean a steadier power supply in the long term—and a smooth, disruption-free election—then they were worth it.
Now, it’s up to NGCP, NORECO II, and local leaders to keep the momentum going. Because in the end, reliable power is not just about comfort. It’s about democracy, development, and the daily dignity of every household in Negros Oriental.
