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On the evening of September 30, 2025, a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook the Visayas, hitting northern Cebu hardest. The earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in the area and the deadliest in the Philippines since 2013, struck off the coast of Cebu Province in Central Visayas.
Thousands of aftershocks followed the quake, as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) confirmed the newly identified Bogo Bay Fault as the source, observing visible cracks and offsets along the ground in Bogo.
At least 79 people lost their lives, and 1,271 were injured in the quake. Losses were estimated at ₱3 billion, with damage reaching Cebu City.
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Energy infrastructure impact
The Visayan Electric Company reported outages in several areas, while the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said Leyte, Samar, and parts of Bohol were cut off from the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid. The quake damaged the Daanbantayan Substation and triggered four 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines to trip.
A total of 27 power stations failed, leaving over 819,000 consumers in 309 municipalities without electricity. Business activity was also affected, including an evacuation at Cebu IT Park, while outages were reported as far as Iloilo City.
The quake caused massive power cuts that crippled hospitals, water utilities, and other vital services throughout Cebu and nearby provinces.
An October 1 report from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) revealed the scale of the disruption, noting that around 472,513 consumer connections were impacted. Five electric cooperatives (ECs) experienced partial service interruptions, while Samar I Electric Cooperative (SAMELCO I) was completely knocked offline. Restoration gradually picked up pace, with just 30,455 connections still without power by October 4.
Cebu Electric Cooperative II (CEBECO II) was among the worst affected, initially reporting that 60% of its service area had little to no electricity on October 2. Within two days, however, it managed to restore supply to 99% of its customers.
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Impacts on energy security
With the quake’s impact reaching the power grid, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Visayas on Yellow Alert on October 11 after 11 plants tripped offline and three others ran below capacity, leaving the system with minimal reserves.
While the alert was lifted later that evening once supply stabilized, the Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (CERA) warned that the incident exposed deeper vulnerabilities in the national grid, which remains poorly equipped to withstand natural hazards and recurring supply shortfalls.
Energy analysts cautioned that the frequent Yellow Alerts point to inadequate reserve capacity and overdependence on imported power flowing through the Visayas grid. A Yellow Alert is declared when available reserves fall short of the buffer required to meet projected demand.
CERA noted that the submarine cables connecting the islands are especially vulnerable to earthquakes and typhoons, and any major failure could trigger Red Alerts and lengthy power outages.
With the country constantly exposed to natural hazards, CERA stressed the need for a more resilient and disaster-ready power system. “We urge the Cebu Energy Task Force to reassess the impact of earthquakes and aftershocks on supply stability and to prioritize a long-term energy resilience plan,” it declared.
Chronic power instability in the Visayas
In early August, the Visayas also grappled with back-to-back Yellow Alerts as the NGCP repeatedly flagged thin power reserves. MORE Electric and Power Corp. warned that the strain on supply could drive electricity prices higher across the region.
MORE Power Vice President for Corporate Energy Sourcing and Regulatory Affairs Niel Parcon observed that the Visayas has borne the brunt of the strain. “Unfortunately, we in the Visayas are the hardest hit. Panay Island, particularly, is at the tail-end of NGCP’s transmission line network,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Negros Power energy sourcing manager Christian John Villena clarified that while Yellow Alerts do not immediately trigger blackouts, the razor-thin reserve margin pushes up prices in the spot market. He said these higher costs eventually filter into consumers’ monthly bills through increased generation and transmission fees.
With reserves critically low in the Visayas, the grid was forced to import power from Luzon, Negros, and Mindanao to keep Panay Island running. NGCP supplied 2,475 megawatts (MW) against 2,528 MW of available capacity, leaving the region with a razor-thin buffer of only 53 MW.
The Visayas’ widening gap between energy supply and demand has been a longstanding concern. In 2024, NGCP OIC Neil Martin Modina said the region had only 1,123 MW of available capacity, while demand peaked at 1,223 MW. This left the grid short by roughly 100 MW, underscoring the persistent imbalance.
Moreover, Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said the Visayas grid would require an additional 600 MW of capacity to avoid even brief outages lasting an hour or a day.
Reliable local energy supply needed
Cebu maintained its position as Central Visayas’ top tourism hub in 2024, drawing 5.08 million overnight visitors and capturing 67.5% of the region’s total arrivals.
In 2026, Cebu is slated to host the ASEAN meetings, putting global attention on the province’s infrastructure readiness. Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Chief Garry Lao cautioned that persistent power and water challenges across the islands could hinder the industry’s growth.
After the quake, CERA pressed the DOE and local governments to accelerate homegrown energy initiatives and expand self-sustaining power sources, arguing that boosting local generation is essential to curb reliance on imported electricity and strengthen energy security.
To stabilize its power supply, Cebu is turning to renewable energy (RE) and storage. In Lapu-Lapu City, Caohagan islet now uses solar to power homes and community spaces, while a ₱1.2-billion hybrid battery system will soon be built in the Mactan Economic Zone. A 150-MW solar farm is also being developed in Daanbantayan. Together with major transmission upgrades such as the Third Transmission Voltage Interconnection, these projects aim to boost grid reliability and support the province’s rapidly expanding economy.
However, Inquirer columnist Jake Maderazo stated that expanding solar and wind alone would not be sufficient since their low capacity factors prevent them from producing a stable supply. “The Philippines will still need dispatchable sources like geothermal (which is unfortunately more capital intensive), as well as traditional sources like coal and natural gas, to generate consistent power, ensure grid stability, and reliability meet daily demand,” he wrote.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. also underscored the central role of baseload power in sustaining Visayas’ development. “I implore all stakeholders in the Visayas to strategically identify suitable locations and host new baseload generation plants, as well as renewable energy and energy storage systems,” he said during the ceremonial launch of the Cebu–Negros-Panay (CNP) 230-kV backbone project in Bacolod City last year.
Baseload power is the steady amount of electricity that must be available at all times to meet round-the-clock demand. It is typically supplied by large and reliable facilities such as coal, natural gas, geothermal, or hydro plants that can run continuously. In support of this goal, Therma Visayas Inc. is expanding its Toledo plant with an additional 169 MW of capacity currently under development.
BusinessWorld columnist Bienvenido Oplas Jr. highlighted coal’s role in energy security in the Visayas. He noted, “ Within the Visayas, Cebu and Panay islands are coal-powered and they export extra power to Negros which has zero coal and plenty of solar power.”
Cebu plays a crucial role in maintaining energy security in Central Visayas, as it drives much of the region’s power demand. The province consumes nearly half of Central Visayas’ total electricity, and Metro Cebu alone uses more than half of the province’s supply. As a result, the regional grid faces mounting pressure to keep pace with Cebu’s rapidly expanding energy needs.
At the same time, Marasigan explained that Cebu functions as the key link in the Visayas grid, acting as the gateway for power flowing from Mindanao and even Luzon before it reaches other islands. This means the province must not only secure enough electricity for its own demand but also ensure its transmission network can reliably move energy across the entire region.
Cebu’s recovery
Cebu is moving into relief and early recovery phases. The immediate needs are being addressed, and government and relief organizations are being mobilized.
On October 19, the President announced that all quake-displaced families are now housed in temporary shelters and are receiving food, drinking water, and other essential services. “Our assistance will continue until each family returns to normal life,” he promised.
However, the quake delivered a major setback to the region’s tourism sector, with key attractions in Cebu, Cebu City, and Bohol sustaining heavy damage. Heritage landmarks such as the Santa Rosa de Lima Shrine in Daanbantayan, the Medellin Tourist Rest Area, and Kota Park in Madridejos were hit hard. These destinations draw thousands of visitors annually, and their closure is expected to significantly weaken the region’s tourism appeal.
Meanwhile, housing developers in Central Visayas remain cautiously optimistic about Cebu’s property outlook. Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA)–Central Visayas
President Harold Vince See admitted that buyer confidence may dip in the aftermath of the quakes, leading to a short-term slowdown.
However, he stressed that sustained in-migration and a growing student population will help the market regain strength over time. “There will always be housing demand here. Cebu remains a preferred destination to live, study, and work,” he stated.
While recovery takes place, energy security remains vital to keeping essential services running and supporting economic activity. Ensuring reliable electricity is seen as critical not only for relief operations but also for rebuilding industries, reopening businesses, and restoring public confidence as the region moves toward full recovery.
“Energy justice requires that no community be left powerless in times of crisis,” CERA emphasized, adding that previous calamities should serve as a warning and push the country to invest in a stronger, disaster-resilient power grid.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Cebu_earthquake
https://visayandailystar.com/electricity-rates-higher-due-to-yellow-alerts/
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/unified-energy-strategy-for-cebu-pushed
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/daanbantayan-moves-to-renewable-energy