CEBU CITY, Philippines — The lights may be drawing crowds to Cebu’s revived Colon Night Market, but increasingly frequent power interruptions are making it harder for some vendors to keep their businesses running.
Rotational brownouts have become an added challenge for vendors who depend heavily on electricity for lighting, food preparation, refrigeration and other equipment during the market’s busiest evening hours.
The disruptions come as the wider Visayas power grid continues to struggle with insufficient generation capacity, putting additional pressure on businesses and consumers across Metro Cebu.
Brownouts threaten peak selling hours
For Colon Night Market vendors, electricity is more than a convenience. Proper lighting helps attract customers, while many food sellers rely on electrical equipment to prepare, store and serve their products.
When the power goes out, vendors can lose valuable selling time precisely when foot traffic is expected to increase.
The situation has become particularly difficult because the interruptions are occurring amid a broader power-supply problem affecting the Visayas.
Recent reporting by The Freeman showed that the Visayas grid remained under prolonged red-alert conditions, with available generation falling short of demand. As of September 4, available capacity was reported at about 2,076 megawatts against peak demand of 2,506 MW.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said around 972.6 MW of capacity was unavailable, involving generating plants on forced outage as well as facilities operating below capacity.
Why are the brownouts happening?
The latest explanation from power officials points primarily to a shortage of electricity generation.
NGCP Assistant Vice President and System Operations–Visayas head Engr. Neil Modena said the problem was not primarily a lack of transmission infrastructure. Instead, the grid was short of available generation.
According to The Freeman, Cebu accounts for roughly half of the Visayas’ electricity demand, making the province particularly exposed when available supply falls below requirements.
When supply cannot keep pace with demand, system operators may temporarily remove portions of the load through rotational brownouts. The measure is intended to prevent the system from becoming overloaded and potentially triggering a much larger blackout.
In other words, the interruptions affecting consumers and businesses are part of an effort to keep the wider power system stable.
Visayan Electric says shortage is not a distribution failure
The situation has also prompted clarification from Visayan Electric Company (VECO).
According to Inquirer coverage, VECO said the rotational interruptions were caused by generation and transmission shortages rather than a problem within its own distribution network. The utility also warned that rotational outages could continue while the supply situation remained tight.
This distinction is important for consumers because the utility responsible for delivering electricity to customers does not necessarily control whether enough electricity is being generated for the entire grid.
The power system involves several different components: generating companies produce electricity, NGCP operates the transmission network, and distribution utilities such as VECO deliver electricity to customers within their respective areas.
Cebu businesses urged to conserve power
As the shortage continues, authorities are also pushing energy conservation measures.
Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro issued an executive order adopting the Takna Pagpawong Sa Suga (TAPS) Program, which establishes a weekly energy-reduction hour for provincial government facilities.
The program calls for a one-hour reduction in nonessential electricity use every Monday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Provincial government offices are required to participate, while businesses, schools, households and other sectors are encouraged to join voluntarily.
The measures include switching off or dimming nonessential lights, shutting down unused equipment and reducing discretionary energy consumption where practical.
Essential services, however, are exempt from measures that could compromise public safety or critical operations.
Long-term solution remains additional power supply
Energy officials say conservation can help manage demand, but it cannot by itself solve the underlying shortage.
DOE-Visayas Director Renante Sevilla said the government is pursuing both short- and long-term measures. These include the use of ancillary services to help stabilize the grid and the development of additional generating capacity in Cebu.
Among the projects identified is the proposed 150-MW Daanbantayan Solar Project, while the Alegria oil and gas field is also part of broader discussions about Cebu’s future energy resources.
For Colon Night Market vendors, however, the issue is much more immediate.
Every hour without electricity can mean fewer customers, disrupted operations and additional expenses as small businesses look for ways to keep their stalls functioning.
And as Cebu’s power shortage continues, the question for vendors and consumers alike is no longer simply when the lights will go out—but how long the power situation will continue to affect everyday business.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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