No guarantee of zero blackouts amid El Niño – DOE chief

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) cannot guarantee that Filipinos will be spared from blackouts as a “very strong” El Niño threatens to strain the country’s power supply amid rising temperatures.

“I’m not that confident because there are still red alerts,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin told reporters yesterday when asked about the country’s power supply outlook.

The possibility of power plants going on unplanned outages or suddenly tripping also remains a concern, but the DOE is factoring in these risks, she said.

“We are trying to find other ways to temporarily bring in more power over the next three years to cover that contingency,” Garin said.

According to the state weather bureau, El Niño is expected to intensify into a “very strong” episode and persist until the middle of next year.

The prolonged dry spell could further strain the power supply as hydropower generation significantly drops due to reduced water levels. Electricity demand is also projected to rise amid hotter temperatures.

“Our estimate of the impact of El Niño is at least about 60 percent reduction in the generation of our hydropower power plants, and there will be disruptions in some of the plants due to extreme heat,” Garin said.

As part of its preparations, the DOE is accelerating the development of 200 power projects.

As of Oct. 26, 55 projects, including battery energy storage systems, had been completed.

It is also working closely with hydro stakeholders and concerned agencies to make the most of available water resources to meet both power and irrigation needs.

On the power distribution side, Garin said the DOE is coordinating with electric cooperatives to assess how El Niño would affect operations in their respective service areas.

“We want families to have peace of mind that hospitals and water facilities in their communities will continue to provide services amid El Niño,” she said.

20 senators seek calamity declaration

Twenty senators across the political divide, meanwhile, signed a joint resolution yesterday urging President Marcos to declare a state of calamity or imminent disaster in areas severely affected by the super El Niño.

Under Proposed Senate Resolution 765, the senators urged Marcos, upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), to make the declaration under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 and the Declaration of State of Imminent Disaster Act.

The senators called on the national government to mobilize resources to assist farmers and fisherfolk and to mobilize eligible funds under the 2026 national budget, including the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and agency Quick Response Fund.

The resolution cited approximately P6.87 billion in agricultural losses affecting 249,028 hectares as of Sept. 26, equivalent to 43 percent of the losses recorded during the entire 2023-2024 El Niño episode.

As of Oct. 6, 106 cities and municipalities across Cagayan Valley, Caraga, Bicol, Calabarzon and Soccsksargen had declared local states of calamity, affecting approximately 388,375 people, according to figures cited in the resolution.

Closer monitoring of basic necessities and prime commodities to address overpricing, profiteering and hoarding in affected areas was also sought.

Schools to prepare

In the education sector, schools were urged to prepare for the impact of El Niño.

“Extreme heat, water scarcity, food insecurity and economic difficulties affect learners’ well-being, teachers’ working conditions and schools’ capacity to sustain learning,” the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said in a Facebook post yesterday.

The group recommended that schools conduct classroom and facility heat and water audits, establish accessible drinking water stations and schedule hydration breaks. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Rhodina Villanueva, Bella Cariaso