Lawmakers probe Panay Island power outages

Iloilo City lawmaker Julienne Baronda, along with other representatives from Western Visayas, have proposed congressional probes into recent widespread power outages that hit Panay Island, causing significant economic disruptions.

The House Committee on Energy will start its hearing on the issue on Thursday, January 11, as scheduled by former Speaker Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco's committee, with additional representatives joining the probe.

DOE welcomed the calls for an investigation, emphasizing their commitment to clarify the situation and address ongoing issues while blaming NGCP for the latest power disruption in Panay Island.

Mayor Jerry Treas called for urgent corrective actions citing Iloilo City's loss of P400 million to P500 million in the first two working days of 2024, proposing interconnecting the Luzon and Visayas Grids via Mindoro as a potential solution.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo Chapter expressed concern over frequent outages' impact on local businesses and productivity, with NGCP highlighting the need for better energy resource planning while refuting allegations that it failed in its obligation to stabilize the transmission system.

As of Friday, January 5, representatives from Negros Occidental and Guimaras are expected to sign a resolution calling for an investigation into the widespread power outage, urging accountability for those responsible.