The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) has urged government to address the Visayas power crisis without abandoning Negros Occidental’s coal-free policy, calling instead for renewable energy, battery storage and stronger grid infrastructure.
In a statement following the Oct. 3 joint congressional hearing on the Visayas power situation in Bacolod City, NICE welcomed what it described as Energy Secretary Sharon Garin’s assurance that the government has no plans to establish a coal-fired power plant in Negros.
The hearing was conducted by the House committees on Energy, Visayas Development and Legislative Franchises to investigate recurring grid alerts, rotational brownouts, generation shortages and transmission constraints affecting the Visayas.
During the hearing, Garin acknowledged that the Visayas lacks sufficient baseload generation and said planning lapses had contributed to the present supply gap.
She also identified battery energy storage as among the immediate interventions being considered while longer-term generation projects are developed.
NICE said the power shortage should not be used to justify a return to coal, stressing that “baseload” refers to the minimum continuous demand of the power system and does not necessarily require coal-fired generation.
The group called for an assessment of renewable generation, appropriately sized battery storage, energy efficiency, demand-response programs, distributed energy resources, and improvements in transmission and distribution infrastructure.
It also urged government to scrutinize claims that non-renewable energy projects are the cheapest or fastest solution to the power crisis, saying proposed projects should be compared based on how quickly they can deliver electricity, their lifetime costs, fuel-price exposure, reliability and environmental impacts.
NICE said Garin’s recognition of solar paired with battery storage as an immediate intervention should be followed by concrete planning and investment.
The environmental group also called for greater coordination among the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, National Electrification Administration, electricity market operators, generators, distribution utilities, electric cooperatives and local governments.
It proposed a common implementation plan containing clear responsibilities, project timelines and regular public reporting on electricity supply, reserves, project implementation and consumer costs.
NICE also sought greater participation from affected communities, consumer organizations, civil society, academe and businesses in energy planning.
Negros Occidental has maintained a coal-free policy since 2019, when then governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. issued Executive Order No. 19-08 declaring the province a source of clean and renewable energy and opposing the establishment of coal-fired power plants.
The order followed a youth-led mobilization in Bacolod calling for a coal-free province.
NICE said the provincial government should also build on the SecuRE Negros roadmap, which promotes reliable, renewable, affordable, available, accessible and sustainable energy for the province.
The provincial government formally launched the SecuRE Negros campaign in 2024 as part of its renewable energy and power security strategy.
The group urged provincial and national officials to translate the roadmap into funded programs, measurable targets and community-based renewable energy projects.
NICE said resolving the current supply problem should result in a power system that provides reliable electricity and affordable rates while preserving Negros’ existing clean-energy direction.*
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