Boracay Water Leads Retail Power Reform in Visayas

Boracay Island Water Company, Inc. (BIWC) has become the first entity in the Visayas region to implement the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), marking a milestone in the country’s energy reform.

The transition was formalized during a ceremony on May 29 at Hennan Park in Boracay Island, where ERC Chairperson and CEO Monalisa Dimalanta hailed BIWC as the region’s first “RAP Champion.”

“This recognition comes with a great responsibility,” Dimalanta said.

“It is more than a badge of honor for you. It is, in fact, a call to action: a call on Boracay Water to become a RAP Ambassador in your areas of influence. We hope you will carry this experience forward. Tell your story to other businesses, utilities, and institutions in the region and encourage others in Boracay, in Aklan, and beyond to make the switch,” she added.

The company, a subsidiary of Manila Water, consolidated the power requirements of 11 water and sewage treatment facilities through the RAP, with PrimeRES serving as its retail electricity supplier.

The move follows the earlier RAP adoption by Manila Water in February 2025, which was the first in the country and served as a benchmark for subsequent participants.

RAP was enabled by the ERC’s Resolution No. 13, Series of 2024, also known as the Omnibus Rules for Customer Choice Programs.

The regulation allows contestable customers—those whose electricity demand qualifies them for the competitive retail market—to aggregate their demand and directly negotiate supply contracts with licensed retail electricity suppliers.

By doing so, customers gain access to competitive electricity prices and customized service arrangements, potentially resulting in cost savings and improved service reliability.

ERC’s Market Operations Service – Contestable Market Division (MOS-CMD), represented by Atty. Chiara Blanco, also participated in the event to lend regulatory support to the local rollout.

The RAP initiative is part of broader efforts to liberalize and decentralize the Philippine power sector, in line with the objectives of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.

Boracay Water’s shift to retail aggregation is expected to serve as a model for other utilities and commercial establishments across Aklan and the wider Visayas region.