07/09/2026
Negros Island once generated its own electricity and even supplied power to five other islands, according to Foundation University President Victor Vicente Guzman Sinco.
Recalling his arrival in Negros in the 1970s, Sinco said he was impressed that the island had its own power generation capacity, largely supported by geothermal energy.
“This island had its own power, and this island was powering five other islands.”
Sinco said the situation has changed under the country’s consolidated power system, leaving Negros more vulnerable to problems affecting the wider grid.
He questioned the logic of an arrangement where Negros’ power resources can serve other areas while the island itself faces power shortages and interruptions.
“Allow each region to control its own destiny, as far as power generation,” Sinco said.
He acknowledged that changing the existing system would be difficult but suggested that regions should be given greater control over their own power generation.
Sinco also called for government support for areas that lack sufficient generation capacity so they can develop their own power sources and become more energy-independent.
For Sinco, the current power crisis is not simply about brownouts—it is also a reminder of Negros’ former role as a power provider and the need to revisit how the island’s geothermal and other energy resources are managed.
