Businesses in Iloilo City have been “significantly affected” by the lengthy power interruptions that hit the whole Western Visayas region.

In a statement, Iloilo City Business and Development Council (ICBDC) co-chairman engineer Terence Uycongco said the “relentless occurrence of brownouts has become a matter of grave concern for the business community in the city.”

“These disruptions in power supply have resulted in operational challenges, financial losses and a tarnished reputation for our city as a reliable business destination,” he lamented.

The council proposed actions to address the problem. These include the identification of root causes, collaboration with stakeholders and advocacy for policy changes.

“The Iloilo City Business Development Council emphasizes the urgency of this matter and urges all stakeholders to actively participate in our efforts to find immediate and lasting solutions,” said Uygongco.

“We firmly believe that by working together, we can create a resilient and conducive business environment that ensures the sustained growth and success of Iloilo City,” he added.

The region experienced massive power interruptions of up to 12 hours for three days from Thursday (April 27) to Saturday (April 29).

The interruptions, according to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) were due to a “system disturbance that affects the Visayas grid.”

“We are determining the root cause of these trippings to provide a universal solution to restore and stabilize the power supply chain,” it said.IMT

Photo by Paolo Alcazaren