Newly-installed Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairman Francis Saturnino Juan vowed the commission will help resolve the power supply situation in Siquijor.
“That is one of the first things the commission will discuss under my terms because there is urgency about it,” Juan said during a turnover ceremony at the ERC office in Ortigas.
“We will study what is the best way to protect the interests of the consumers of Siquijor.”
Juan takes over for Monalisa Dimalanta, who resigned effective Aug. 8, 2025.
Dimalanta said during the ceremony that the power plants of SIPCOR, which supplies power to the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative Inc. (PROSIELCO), are still not fully operational. The ERC held a public hearing last month to formalize its investigation into the power situation in the province.
According to Dimalanta, the ERC is set to receive the technical team’s report on SIPCOR’s power plants. This will enable the ERC, under Juan, to act on a show-cause order issued against SIPCOR.
The ERC, in its recommended action on the Siquijor power situation, directed SIPCOR and PROSIELCO to comply with their obligations under the original power supply agreement, which was approved on Dec. 17, 2012.
That agreement included a clause stating that in the event of downtime, SIPCOR must provide replacement power from a backup supply. The commission also resolved to issue a separate order directing SIPCOR, PROSIELCO and the National Power Corp. (NPC) to fulfill their responsibilities under relevant laws and regulations, including ensuring payments to suppliers are validated and cross-checked against ERC-approved contracts.
