Reliable power and internet access in Antique and Aklan will require tighter coordination among national agencies, electric cooperatives, telecommunications firms, and local governments, following a Senate briefing that examined recurring outages and connectivity gaps in the two provinces.
The May 28 multi-sector meeting brought together the National Electrification Administration (NEA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), local electric cooperatives, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), telecommunications providers, and local stakeholders.
The discussion identified several causes behind service interruptions, including power supply shortages, transmission limitations, distribution system upgrades, last-mile electrification gaps, and the need for stronger maintenance of completed infrastructure.
Officials noted that Panay’s power challenges stem from multiple factors. NGCP reported that the island was short by around 87 megawatts, while a major 150-megawatt power unit was on forced outage. The DOE said additional reserves are needed to prevent future disruptions as electricity demand continues to rise.
NGCP committed to complete the Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay power highway by August 2026, a project expected to strengthen supply security in Aklan and Boracay.
Apart from supply-related brownouts, many outages in Antique and Aklan were traced to large-scale upgrading and maintenance work by electric cooperatives. These include reconductoring, replacement of bare wires, line improvements, and substation upgrades.
The briefing emphasized that the work is necessary to modernize aging distribution infrastructure, but agencies and utilities were urged to implement projects efficiently, with clear schedules and minimal disruption to households, businesses, schools, and public services.
NEA and the cooperatives committed to identify priority facilities, speed up upgrades, clarify funding sources and timelines, and coordinate with the Energy Regulatory Commission on pending approvals affecting critical infrastructure projects.
On last-mile electrification, stakeholders stressed that energizing remaining households must be paired with reliable service. Funding for new connections, they said, must be matched by adequate generation, transmission, and distribution capacity.
Connectivity issues were also raised, including the status of Free Wi-Fi for All sites in 150 barangays in Antique. The DICT was asked to sustain the projects, audit their performance, and clarify which sites remain active in Western Visayas.
Telecommunications providers presented plans to improve service reliability through fiber expansion, network redundancy, fiberized towers, congestion relief, and satellite-based connectivity for remote areas. They also sought closer coordination with local governments on permits and other requirements that may delay infrastructure rollout.
Local governments were urged to remove unnecessary costs, requirements, and delays that could discourage private investment in connectivity projects.
The meeting ended with a call for electricity and internet infrastructure to be planned together, especially in areas where digital connectivity depends heavily on stable power. Future discussions may include other Panay provinces to develop a more coordinated island-wide approach to power reliability and digital access.