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Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Rep. Junard “Ahong” Chan has called for immediate action to ease recurring brownouts and high electricity bills in Cebu, rejecting projections that consumers may have to wait until 2031 for a more stable power supply.
Chan made the appeal during a joint congressional public hearing on the Visayas power crisis in Bacolod City on Oct. 3, where lawmakers, energy agencies and industry stakeholders discussed measures to address supply and transmission constraints affecting Cebu and other parts of the region.
Chan, the only Cebuano public official present at the hearing, said consumers could not afford to wait several more years for relief from power interruptions and high electricity costs.
“I must convey the urgency felt by my constituents and communities across Cebu. Our people cannot afford to wait until next year for relief from recurring brownouts and high electricity bills,” he said.
The hearing came as the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) outlined an accelerated timeline for the Cebu interconnection project, which is expected to bring additional transmission capacity to the province.
The first stage of the project, originally targeted for completion in 2031, is now being expedited to 2029 and would add 600 megawatts (MW) of transmission capacity. The full interconnection project is scheduled for completion in stages in 2031, 2033 and 2035.
NGCP acknowledged that completing the submarine interconnection within three years would be difficult but said it remained possible with sufficient support.
Chan questioned the current flow of electricity to Cebu, noting that only about 200 to 250 MW of the roughly 400 MW that can be transmitted from Luzon to the province was reaching Cebu.
NGCP said power flows had shifted toward Cebu as the province became a major load center, underscoring the need to accelerate the interconnection project. Once expanded, the system is expected to allow the full 400 MW to be transmitted to Cebu.
Additional Supply
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin also pressed NGCP to complete the contracting of battery energy storage systems, which she said could help prevent red and yellow alerts on the grid.
She said the Department of Energy had already directed NGCP to proceed with the measure.
Chan also backed proposals to deploy additional generation capacity, including power barges and solar facilities paired with battery storage, subject to technical, feasibility and affordability assessments.
He said there was already an expression of interest in his district for power barges capable of supplying up to 200 MW. Chan urged concerned agencies to evaluate the proposal and coordinate its possible deployment so additional electricity could be made available as soon as possible.
Chan also called for the restoration of unavailable generating capacity and the resolution of transmission constraints. He also urged authorities to pursue reliable electricity at lower cost and review system losses and other components of electricity bills to determine whether charges could legally be reduced or removed.
Chan said consumers should not be left waiting for long-term infrastructure projects while dealing with immediate electricity problems.
“Medyo dismayado kaayu ta sa ilang tubag kay 2031 pa daw ta makakuha og sakto o stable nga supply sa kuryente which is dugay2 pa ta mag-antos sa rotational brownout ug taas nga bayrunon sa kuryente,” he said. (“We are quite disappointed with their response because they say we will only get adequate or stable electricity supply by 2031, which means we will have to endure rotational brownouts and high electricity bills for quite some time.”)
He said the projected timeline was difficult to accept given the continuing impact of outages and power costs on households and businesses.
Legislative Solutions
Chan also said he would pursue another legislative measure in Congress to push agencies toward faster action on the power crisis. He called for a written action plan identifying the agencies responsible for specific measures and setting deadlines for reducing brownouts and electricity costs.
The lawmaker warned that continued high electricity bills could affect how families spend their income, particularly as the Christmas season approaches.
“Dili na nato paabuton og Disyembre. Aron makahatag ug kahupay kay basin ang Christmas bonus sa atong mga kaigsuonan, imbis para sa pamilya, para sa Noche Buena, ug para sa mga regalo sa ilang mga anak, adto na nuon padulong sa bayranan sa kuryente,” Chan said. (“We should not wait until December. To provide relief, otherwise the Christmas bonuses of our fellow citizens, instead of being spent on their families, for Noche Buena and gifts for their children, might instead go toward their electricity bills.”)
Chan said Congress was ready to support measures that could provide immediate relief while longer-term transmission and generation projects were being completed.
“Magtinabangay ta. Ang kinahanglan sa katawhang Bisaya, labi na ang mga Sugboanon, mao ang kasaligang supply sa kuryente ug bayranan nga kaya nilang mabayaran sa labing daling panahon,” Chan said. (“Let us work together. What the Visayan people, especially Cebuanos, need is a reliable electricity supply and bills they can afford to pay as soon as possible.”)
Source:
https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2026/10/05/2561060/ahong-pushes-quick-power-fixes
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/power-relief-in-cebu-cannot-wait-for-years
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/766424/explainer-why-are-rotational-brownouts-needed-in-cebu