A major power outage continues to affect multiple towns in Negros Oriental following the tripping of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines' (NGCP) Amlan-Siaton 69kV transmission line early Friday morning, May 1, 2026.
According to local power distributor NORECO II, the transmission line failure occurred at 1:30 A.M., initially affecting areas from Tampi wharf to the entire area of San Jose, Sibulan, Dumaguete City, Valencia, Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita and Siaton.
While partial restoration was achieved when the Amlan-Bagacay line section was re-energized at 3:17 A.M., significant portions of Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita, and Siaton remain without power as the Bagacay-Dauin-Siaton line section continues to be unenergized.
Affected Areas and Communities
NORECO II's Dauin and Siaton substations remain offline, leaving thousands of residents and businesses without electricity. The outage has impacted multiple feeders serving extensive areas across four municipalities.
Feeder 10 of Dauin Substation has left the entire municipality of Bacong without power, affecting barangays including Sacsac, Buntis, Bacong proper, Isugan, Combado, Richwood Subdivision, Lumina Homes Subdivision, Balayagmanok, South Poblacion, North Poblacion, West Poblacion, San Miguel, Buntod, Calangag, Doldol, Lutao, Soludpan, Timbanga and Tubod.
The widespread outage in Bacong has disrupted daily activities in the coastal municipality, known for its resorts and residential subdivisions that cater to both local and foreign residents.
Dauin and Zamboanguita Areas Without Power
Feeder 11 of Dauin Substation has affected numerous barangays in Dauin municipality, including Bulak, Poblacion, Jawa, Lipayo, Libjo, Tugawe, Mag-aso, Magsaysay, Casile, Masaplod Norte, Masaplod Sur, Boloc-boloc, Panubtuban, Magay, Anhawan, Malongcay Diot, Malongcay Dacu, Tunga-tunga, Bunga, Baslay, Batuhon Dacu, Bagacay, Nagpantaw, Maayongtubig and Mojon.
The same feeder also serves areas from Mag-abo going to Malatapay, proper Zamboanguita and part of Bangcolutan in Zamboanguita municipality. This includes the popular Malatapay Market area, a significant trading hub for livestock and agricultural products in the region.
Dauin, known for its diving resorts and marine sanctuaries, relies heavily on consistent power supply for its tourism industry. The prolonged outage is expected to impact resort operations and tourist activities scheduled for the Labor Day holiday.
Siaton Municipality Completely Dark
The municipality of Siaton appears to be the most severely affected, with both feeders from the Siaton Substation remaining offline. Feeder 2 serves the DPWH Negros Oriental Third District Engineering Office, along with barangays Tayak, Napacao and Siit in Siaton, plus Mayabon and Lutoban in Zamboanguita.
Feeder 1 of Siaton Substation has left the entire town center and surrounding communities without power, affecting Albiga, Apoloy, Bonawon, Bonbonon, Cabangahan, Canaway, Casala-an, Caticugan, Datag, Giliga-on, Inalad, Malabuhan, Maloh, Mantiquil, Mantuyop, Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Poblacion III, Poblacion IV, Salag, San Jose, Sandulot and Sumaliring.
The outage has effectively left the entire municipality of Siaton in darkness, affecting government offices, schools, health facilities, and thousands of residents across the town's 25 barangays.
NGCP Investigation Ongoing
NORECO II has stated that NGCP is continuing its investigation to determine the cause of the transmission line failure. The power distributor initially reported waiting for official communication from NGCP regarding the incident and estimated restoration time.
The 69kV transmission line is a critical component of the power grid serving southern Negros Oriental, and its failure has highlighted the vulnerability of the region's electrical infrastructure. The Amlan-Siaton line serves as a major pathway for electricity distribution to the affected municipalities.
NGCP has successfully restored power to the Amlan-Bagacay section, demonstrating that the northern portion of the transmission system is functioning. However, the continued outage in the Bagacay-Dauin-Siaton section suggests the problem may be located somewhere along this southern corridor.
Holiday Weekend Impact
The timing of the power outage coincides with the Labor Day holiday weekend, when many Filipino families typically travel to beach destinations and resorts in the affected areas. The municipalities of Bacong, Dauin, and Siaton are popular tourist destinations known for their coastal attractions, diving spots, and resort facilities.
Local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality and tourism sectors, are likely experiencing significant disruptions. Restaurants, hotels, and resorts in the affected areas may be operating on generator power or have suspended operations entirely.
The outage also affects essential services including hospitals, schools, water pumping stations, and telecommunications infrastructure in the affected municipalities. Emergency services and local government units are likely operating on backup power systems where available.
Previous Infrastructure Challenges
The power outage highlights ongoing challenges with electrical infrastructure reliability in Negros Oriental. The province has experienced various power supply issues in recent years, particularly during peak demand periods and extreme weather events.
NORECO II, which serves as the electric cooperative for the affected areas, has been working to improve distribution infrastructure and reduce outage frequency. However, transmission-level failures like the current incident fall under NGCP's responsibility and require coordination between multiple agencies for resolution.
Residents and businesses in the affected areas are advised to take necessary precautions during the extended outage, including securing perishable goods and ensuring alternative power sources for critical needs. NORECO II has not yet provided an estimated restoration time for the remaining affected areas.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of NORECO II