MANILA, Philippines — Residents and businesses in selected areas of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Quezon and Rizal are being advised to prepare for temporary power interruptions this week as the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) carries out scheduled maintenance and upgrading works.
The utility announced the interruptions as part of its regular maintenance program aimed at keeping distribution facilities safe, reliable and capable of meeting electricity demand.
The scheduled outages are localized and time-bound, meaning they will affect only specific portions of Meralco’s distribution network rather than entire provinces or Metro Manila as a whole.
Why will the power be cut?
Meralco routinely shuts down selected circuits while crews perform maintenance, repair, replacement and upgrading activities.
Temporary service interruptions allow workers to safely conduct work on distribution facilities without energizing the affected sections of the network.
Meralco’s maintenance schedule for August 24–30, 2026 confirms that various projects are scheduled across its franchise area during the week.
Customers should therefore check the specific Meralco advisory for their city or municipality, because the duration and affected streets or barangays can vary significantly from one location to another.
Five areas covered by the latest advisory
The latest report identifies portions of:
- Metro Manila
- Bulacan
- Cavite
- Quezon
- Rizal
as areas that may experience scheduled interruptions during the week.
The outages should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a Luzon-wide power shortage. This week’s interruptions are primarily associated with planned maintenance and upgrading work.
That distinction is important because Meralco has also experienced weather-related and grid-related outages in recent months.
Recent outages show why reliability work matters
Earlier this month, heavy rains and flooding associated with the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, caused widespread electricity service interruptions in Meralco’s franchise area.
Philstar reported that approximately 98,000 Meralco customers lost power at the height of the August 9 weather-related disruptions. The affected areas included portions of Cavite, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal and Batangas. Meralco said flooding and damage to electrical infrastructure were major causes.
The number of affected customers subsequently declined as Meralco crews worked to restore damaged facilities. Another report said the remaining outages were concentrated largely in Cavite, with affected customers also reported in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, Quezon and Batangas.
Those incidents were different from the latest scheduled interruptions: weather-related outages are unplanned, while the current advisory concerns planned maintenance.
Not the same as the major Luzon brownouts in May
The latest scheduled maintenance should also be distinguished from the large-scale rotational brownouts experienced in May.
In May, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Luzon grid under red alert because of insufficient reserves following multiple power-plant outages. Meralco subsequently implemented manual load dropping, affecting hundreds of thousands of customers in parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
That situation involved power-supply constraints at the grid level, whereas the interruptions announced for this week are associated with Meralco’s maintenance and upgrading activities.
What customers should do
Residents in areas covered by the advisory are encouraged to prepare before the scheduled interruption.
Consumers may want to:
- Fully charge mobile phones, laptops and power banks.
- Save work and important files before the scheduled outage.
- Keep emergency lights and flashlights accessible.
- Unplug sensitive electronic equipment before the interruption.
- Make arrangements for businesses or home-based operations that require continuous electricity.
- Check the latest Meralco advisory in case schedules are adjusted.
Customers should also exercise caution around electrical facilities, particularly during the rainy season. Meralco has repeatedly reminded the public to stay away from downed power lines and electrical equipment affected by floodwater.
Schedules can change
Residents should not rely solely on social media posts or reposted outage schedules.
Meralco maintains an official Maintenance Schedule where customers can check scheduled work by location. The utility’s current schedule includes entries for several cities and provinces, including areas within Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Meralco also notes that restoration may occasionally take longer than the published schedule when unforeseen circumstances affect the work.
For customers, the biggest takeaway is simple: if your area is included in the advisory, prepare for a temporary loss of electricity and check the latest official schedule before the interruption begins.
With maintenance activities continuing across Meralco’s network, residents in affected communities should keep an eye on updates in case work schedules or restoration times change.
Leave a Reply