NGCP faces backlash over selective power interruption rescheduling

NGCP faces backlash for rescheduling a Leyte blackout to accommodate a government request while consumers endure 12-hour power interruptions. (This is a representative image, not an actual photo of the event.)

TACLOBAN CITY — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is under fire for rescheduling a scheduled power interruption in Leyte to accommodate a government request. The decision, which moved the April 5, 2025, blackout to April 9, has sparked criticism from consumers who have long endured unannounced and prolonged outages without similar considerations.

The power cut was initially planned to replace ACSR conductors and poles along the Babatngon-Abucay 69-kilovolt line, affecting Leyte II Electric Cooperative Inc. However, NGCP adjusted the schedule upon the request of the Department of Science and Technology Region VIII (DOST-VIII) to prevent disruptions during its undergraduate scholarship examination.

POWER ADVISORY Please be informed that the Power Service Interruption scheduled by the National Grid Corporation of the...

Posted by Leyte II Electric Cooperative, Inc. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Public Outcry Over Double Standards

Consumers took to social media to express their frustration, arguing that NGCP's willingness to move outages for specific sectors highlights a double standard. A social media user, Bim Bim, questioned the decision:

"Naka accommodate man lagi kamo hin request? So mayda gud kamo 'say' or pwede kamo mag request na ig balhin it oras ngan petsa hit iyo blackout? Tapos maparong kamo han February hin Maagahon? Iinuwat la niyo it iyo mga consumidor. Iroy kamo."

(Translation: "So you can accommodate requests? So you actually have a say or the ability to reschedule your blackouts? Yet you cut power early in the morning in February? You're fooling your consumers. Damn you.")

New Year's Eve Blackout Fuels the Backlash

The controversy follows another highly criticized power outage on Dec. 31, 2024, when NGCP’s transmission failure left Tacloban City, Palo, and Babatngon without electricity for nearly 10 hours. The blackout, which started at 10:11 p.m. and ended at 7:48 a.m. on Jan. 1, affected over 91,000 consumers. NGCP cited a conductor failure along the Babatngon-Apitong line in Barangay Diit, Tacloban City (Inquirer.net).

Many residents expressed their outrage over celebrating New Year's Eve in the darkness. A social media user commented, "Tacloban experienced a yearlong brownout. It started in 2024, and it's already 2025 without assurance of power restoration yet" (Majaits.com).

Residents Demand Fair Treatment

Johnny Pusong, a well-known social media persona based in Leyte, also weighed in on the issue, emphasizing the impact on freelancers and remote workers:

"Kalooy la it mga work from home ha iyo, buot buot la kamo kun ano nga adlaw magblablack-out. Sadly, Tacloban is becoming increasingly unfriendly to virtual assistants, freelancers, and remote employees due to these repeated 12-hour power interruptions courtesy of NGCP."

Jonathan Salera, another concerned citizen, raised concerns over NGCP’s selective prioritization:

"This is getting more silly. So, if requested by an agency, a life-affecting utility service maintenance can actually be postponed and the same is openly cited as a reason for postponement? Who says it's brilliant to please one sector and irritate the masses? My goodness gracious, what a PR blunder!"

Residents have demanded that NGCP consider the general public with the same level of consideration. Many call for more transparency in outage scheduling and a more balanced approach that minimizes disruptions across all sectors.

Calls for Transparency and Policy Changes

The controversy has raised key questions about NGCP’s decision-making process:

1. What criteria does NGCP use to grant rescheduling requests?
2. Why are ordinary consumers not given the same flexibility?
3. How does NGCP plan to ensure fairness in power interruption schedules?

Until these concerns are addressed, consumers will remain wary of NGCP’s handling of power interruptions and demand clearer policies to ensure fairness for all stakeholders.

Conclusion

Public utilities are expected to serve all consumers equitably. NGCP’s selective rescheduling has sparked concerns over transparency and fairness, with consumers urging the company to adopt a more balanced approach. NGCP must address these criticisms to regain public trust and ensure that no sector is unfairly prioritized over others. —Independent Writer