Albay mayors give ALECO ultimatum to solve persistent power interruptions

BRIEFING. ALECO head of operations Mark Lucilo (extreme right) explains the reasons behind the persistent power outages that have disrupted various towns in recent months in 2026.

Caloy Baldo/Facebook page

The electric cooperative attributes the outages to ongoing national-funded substation upgrades, promising Phase 1 completion in 2026 amid rising public frustration over their unreliable services

AT A GLANCE

• Mayors in Albay are demanding an end to weekly power interruptions and have threatened to report ALECO if improvements are not seen by the end of October.
• ALECO attributes the ongoing power cuts to necessary infrastructure upgrades and has received significant government funding for these projects, but consumers continue to face high electricity bills and unreliable service.
• Albay Governor Noel Rosal has called for a comprehensive plan from ALECO to address the power issues, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in their operations.

This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors.

ALBAY, Philippines – Mayors in Albay demanded an immediate end to weekly power interruptions across various towns during the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Albay Chapter meeting with the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) on Wednesday, October 7.

“The stand of the mayors was clear — after this month, if the power service does not improve or change, we will immediately report ALECO again,” Camalig town Mayor and LMP-Albay President Caloy Baldo said in Bicol.

According to Baldo, ALECO promised the LMP-Albay Chapter that the series of power interruptions would ease and eventually be resolved by the end of October 2026.

“In the next meeting, we encourage the general nanager and ALECO’s contractor to appear in person so they can directly answer the mayors’ remaining questions,” he added.

ALECO explained that the ongoing interruptions were inevitable due to system improvements, maintenance, upgrades, and rehabilitation projects across the cooperative’s network.

According to the cooperative, recent power cuts were caused by the installation of a 1×20 MegaVolt-Amperes (MVA) transformer at the Cullat substation and the upgrading of the Ligao Substation in Dunao, Ligao City from 20MVA to 40MVA.

“These infrastructure improvements involve construction, installation, rehabilitation, and upgrading of electrical facilities that require the temporary de-energization of portions of the distribution system to ensure the safety of personnel and the public while the necessary works are being undertaken,” ALECO said in its statement posted on Thursday, October 8.

The cooperative emphasized that these upgrades are necessary to enhance system reliability, improve voltage regulation, and support the growing power demand across Albay’s municipalities.

“These projects should be finished by the end of October, but sometimes factors arise that cause extensions. However, we are 100% sure that phase 1 construction of the substation, which costs P367 million, will be completed within 2026,” ALECO head of operations Mark Lucilo explained in Bicol. 

Unmet promises

In 2025, the cooperative received a P367-million national government funding for the upgrade and rehabilitation of distribution lines and substations across several towns in the province.

On top of this rehabilitation fund, ALECO was awarded an additional P500-million subsidy from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) under the General Appropriations Act, through the initiative of the Ako Bicol (AKB) Party-list, to construct new substations in Ligao City and Daraga town.

ALECO board of directors president Eddie Gumba told DZGB News Online, a local radio station in Albay, that these substations aim to deliver reliable and stable power service while minimizing the frequent power interruptions across Albay.

Despite over P867 million in combined government grants and subsidies since 2025, consumers continue to bear the brunt of both frequent blackouts and skyrocketing electricity rates, according to Legazpi City resident Jeric Azores.

“Our bill nearly doubled despite persistent power interruptions. It’s deeply frustrating because, on top of disrupting our daily household routines and business transactions, we are paying significantly more for electricity while Albay’s power services remain completely unreliable,” Azores said.

Accountability call

Earlier in July 2026, Albay Governor Noel Rosal demanded that ALECO submit a comprehensive plan to address recurring power interruptions and inadequate electricity supply in the province.

“We need a report from the board so that both the administration and the consumers can decide how we can help resolve this and determine whether we should continue relying on ALECO,” Rosal said. “If we see that their plan is doable, why look for another distributor? But they must prove their plans and explain them to the public — especially regarding debt servicing, given their existing debt of around P5 billion to P6 billion.” 

The governor added that ALECO’s operational and financial report must be presented during a Special Annual General Membership Assembly to ensure transparency, accountability, and active stakeholder participation.

Meanwhile, the LMP-Albay Chapter also reminded ALECO to keep communication lines open to address consumer concerns promptly, especially during unscheduled power interruptions.

“Mayors hope for a final solution to the electricity problem so government agencies can deliver better, more efficient service, ensuring Albayanos receive the quality service they deserve,” Baldo said. 

He added: “We will continue to support the cooperative and extend help to ALECO, but we also need to stand firm for a more reliable, faster, and better electricity service for our fellow citizens.” –Rappler.com