Senator Legarda seeks coordinated solutions to Antique, Aklan connectivity problems

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda convened government agencies, power industry stakeholders, telecommunications companies, electric cooperatives, and local officials to tackle persistent electricity and internet connectivity issues in Antique and Aklan.

The multi-sector briefing at the Senate on May 28, 2026 focused on identifying the causes of recurring power interruptions and weak connectivity in the two provinces, while pushing for coordinated solutions involving both the public and private sectors.

The meeting, organized in partnership with the Aklan Information Communications and Technology Council, was attended by representatives from the National Electrification Administration (NEA), Department of Energy (DOE), National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), electric cooperatives in Antique and Aklan, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), telecommunications providers, and local stakeholders.

Legarda underscored the importance of stable electricity and reliable internet services to local development, tourism, education, business, and public services.

“We know how electricity and internet affect daily life. They affect children studying, small businesses earning, and tourists visiting our provinces. These two are also connected because internet service depends heavily on reliable power. That is why we have to complete the substations, power lines, and last-mile electrification projects, but we must look for ways that it will not suddenly add to the burden of consumers,” Legarda said.

During the discussions, NGCP reported that Panay Island was experiencing an estimated 87-megawatt shortfall, aggravated by the forced outage of a major 150-megawatt power plant. The DOE, meanwhile, said additional reserve capacity remains necessary to avoid future supply disruptions as electricity demand rises.

DOE officials said they are monitoring the restoration of the affected power plant and pursuing additional generation investments, while NGCP committed to complete the Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay transmission project by August 2026 to improve power reliability in Aklan and Boracay.

Legarda also noted that, aside from rotating brownouts caused by supply shortages, several interruptions in Antique and Aklan stemmed from ongoing upgrading and maintenance activities by electric cooperatives. These include reconductoring, replacement of bare wires, line rehabilitation, and substation improvements.

She said the modernization efforts are necessary to address aging infrastructure but stressed that such works should be implemented efficiently and with minimal inconvenience to residents, businesses, schools, and government services.

-Paraluman News