President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday personally inspected the Siquijor Diesel Power Plant in Candanay Sur as the island grapples with recurrent power supply interruptions which have affected its residents, businesses and fast-emerging tourism industry.

During his inspection, President Marcos met with plant engineers of Siquijor Island Power Corp. (SIPCOR) which operates the Siquijor Diesel Power Plant, and local government unit (LGU) officials to address the power crisis.

In a Presidential News Desk interview, SIPCOR operations chief Roger Gambuta vowed to comply with the directive of President Marcos to address the needs of the people of Siquijor.

Gambuta said Siquijor’s current electricity demand is 9.4 megawatts (MW), while the available supply is only 8.8 MW. This supply gap has led to rotational power interruptions, he said.

Currently four towns, namely San Juan, Enrique Villanueva, Larena, and Siquijor, are experiencing varying power outages.

Gambuta said the Provincial Electric Cooperative (PROSIELCO) of Siquijor, the island’s power distributor, determines which areas will receive electricity during the limited supply periods.

Gambuta assured residents that they are addressing the issue by conducting repairs and maintenance on their generator units and renting additional generator sets to augment the supply.

“So far, may mga deficit talaga tayo due to maintenance activities, but we are addressing that,” Gambuta said.

Famous for its pristine beaches and lush natural beauty, the central Visayas island of Siquijor is quickly catching up with Boracay, Siargao, and Palawan as a top destination for local and international tourists. | PND