During a privilege hour at the City Council, Councilor Epitacio Lao Jr. criticized the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) for what he described as persistent power interruptions paired with rising electricity costs that continue to weigh on residents across Palawan.
Lao stressed what he called the cooperative’s responsibility to provide “quality, sufficient, and reliable service.” He pointed out that businesses, schools, offices, and even patients in hospitals are routinely affected by outages. According to him, the lack of dependable electricity is “not only a hindrance to daily life, but an issue tied to the rights of citizens.”
“The lack of reliable electricity does not help attract new investors,” Lao added, saying the problem has contributed to growing public frustration. He also noted the economic setbacks brought about by recurring outages, stressing their effect on livelihoods across the province.
Councilors Victor Oliveros and Luis Marcaida III backed Lao’s concerns and filed a motion to refer the issue to the Committee on Energy for formal deliberation. The panel is tasked to summon PALECO officials and demand an explanation.
Marcaida, however, cautioned that efforts to secure answers have stalled in the past. “Several times the officials of the cooperative have been summoned to the 17th City Council, but no one has attended,” he said. He expressed hope that the next round of hearings would finally bring PALECO’s leadership to the table.
The motion was carried as Palawan’s largest power distributor again faces mounting criticism over service interruptions that residents and officials say have hindered economic growth, disrupted essential services, and eroded public trust.
