Thousands of residents across southern Negros Oriental remain without electricity following a transmission line failure that struck the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) Amlan-Siaton 69kV system during the early hours of Friday, May 1, 2026.
The regional power distributor NORECO II reported that the critical transmission infrastructure experienced a trip at 1:30 A.M., immediately cutting electricity supply from Tampi wharf through San Jose, Sibulan, Dumaguete City, Valencia, Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita and extending to Siaton municipality.
Emergency restoration efforts achieved limited success when technicians managed to re-energize the Amlan-Bagacay section at 3:17 A.M., restoring power to some northern areas. However, the southern corridor encompassing Bacong, Dauin, Zamboanguita, and Siaton continues to experience complete blackout conditions as the Bagacay-Dauin-Siaton segment remains de-energized.
Complete Municipal Blackouts Reported
Siaton municipality faces the most severe impact, with both primary electrical feeders from its substation completely offline. The blackout encompasses all 25 barangays including Albiga, Apoloy, Bonawon, Bonbonon, Cabangahan, Canaway, Casala-an, Caticugan, Datag, Giliga-on, Inalad, Malabuhan, Maloh, Mantiquil, Mantuyop, and all four poblacion areas, plus Salag, San Jose, Sandulot and Sumaliring.
Feeder 2 from Siaton Substation has also cut power to the DPWH Negros Oriental Third District Engineering Office and affects barangays Tayak, Napacao and Siit in Siaton, while simultaneously impacting Mayabon and Lutoban communities in neighboring Zamboanguita.
The complete infrastructure failure has effectively paralyzed government operations, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and commercial establishments throughout Siaton, affecting thousands of residents who depend on consistent electrical supply for daily activities.
Tourism Centers Hit During Holiday Period
The power crisis has struck during Labor Day weekend, severely impacting popular tourist destinations along Negros Oriental’s southern coast. Dauin municipality, internationally recognized for its world-class diving sites and marine sanctuaries, faces significant disruption to its tourism operations.
Feeder 11 from Dauin Substation has cut electricity to 25 barangays 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.
Resort facilities, diving operators, and hospitality establishments in these coastal communities are operating on emergency generator power or have suspended services entirely. The extended outage threatens to impact tourist bookings and scheduled activities during the holiday period.
Bacong Municipality Experiences Total Blackout
Feeder 10 from Dauin Substation has completely eliminated electrical service throughout Bacong municipality, affecting residential subdivisions, commercial districts, and rural communities. The blackout encompasses 18 barangays: 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.
This coastal municipality, known for its resort developments and mixed residential communities serving both Filipino and foreign residents, faces significant disruption to daily operations. The outage affects water pumping systems, telecommunications infrastructure, and essential services throughout the area.
Regional Trading Hub Disrupted
The electrical failure has disrupted operations at Malatapay Market, a crucial regional trading center for livestock and agricultural products. Located in Zamboanguita municipality, this commercial hub serves farmers, traders, and buyers from across southern Negros Oriental and neighboring regions.
Areas from Mag-abo extending to Malatapay, proper Zamboanguita, and portions of Bangcolutan remain without power, affecting market operations, storage facilities, and transportation logistics that depend on electrical systems for refrigeration and processing equipment.
Infrastructure Investigation Continues
NGCP technical teams are conducting comprehensive investigations to identify the root cause of the 69kV transmission line failure. The Amlan-Siaton corridor represents critical electrical infrastructure for southern Negros Oriental, serving as the primary pathway for electricity distribution to affected municipalities.
Successful restoration of the Amlan-Bagacay section indicates the northern transmission components are functioning properly. However, continued outages in the Bagacay-Dauin-Siaton segment suggest the failure occurred somewhere along this southern transmission corridor.
NORECO II continues coordinating with NGCP for official incident reports and estimated restoration timelines. The power cooperative initially indicated they are awaiting formal communication regarding repair schedules and system restoration procedures.
Essential Services Operating on Emergency Power
Local government units, healthcare facilities, and emergency services across the affected municipalities are relying on backup generator systems where available. However, extended outage duration raises concerns about fuel supplies and generator capacity for sustained operations.
Educational institutions, scheduled to resume operations after the holiday weekend, may face disruptions if power restoration delays continue. Water distribution systems, telecommunications networks, and other critical infrastructure depend on consistent electrical supply for normal operations.
Residents throughout the affected areas are advised to preserve perishable food items, secure alternative lighting sources, and prepare for extended outage conditions until transmission system repairs are completed and full electrical service restoration is achieved.
