Negros Power, telcos ramp up power restoration efforts

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – The city government has intensified joint clearing operations with Negros Power and major telecommunications providers to speed up the restoration of electricity and internet services after Typhoon Tino caused widespread outages.

Mayor Greg Gasataya said teams have been working round the clock to remove vegetation and other obstructions that have slowed power restoration in several parts of the city.

“Our joint clearing operations with Negros Power and different telco providers are ongoing to make the restoration of power and internet connectivity in our city much faster,” Gasataya said.

Negros Power earlier identified 73 areas with vegetation obstructions and 14 sites with physical blockages delaying full restoration.

As of Wednesday, Negros Power Chief Operations Officer Engr. Bailey del Castillo said restoration efforts continued to improve, with 85.5 percent of customers already energized as of 2 p.m. on November 12, 2025.

Del Castillo reported that all five sub-transmission lines, 11 substations, and 48 feeders were now fully energized, ensuring stable power across the network.

Out of 244,915 total customers, 35,508 or 14.5 percent remained without electricity as repair and clearing operations continued in severely affected areas.

He added that weather conditions had improved, with sunny skies allowing faster ground restoration.

The city government has deployed additional manpower and equipment to assist Negros Power’s repair teams in clearing access roads.

Gasataya said that as of November 11, 2025, the city had completed clearing operations in 33 of 37 identified sites, including Barangays 11, 31, Mansilingan, Tangub, Handumanan, Singcang, Punta Taytay, Villamonte, Alijis, Pahanocoy, Taculing, and Granada.

Work is ongoing in Sum-ag School, Florenceville in Pahanocoy, and interior roads in Taculing and Estefania.

The city’s clearing operations are being carried out with representatives from Negros Power, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, and PLDT to expedite both power and internet restoration.

The coordination was agreed upon in a meeting with Negros Power President and CEO Roel Castro.

“We will continue to provide full support to our partners to ensure a coordinated and efficient restoration process,” Gasataya said.

Support for online workers

Recognizing the challenges faced by digital workers during the outages, Gasataya announced the opening of a nighttime co-working extension at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby starting November 12, 2025.

The free workspace operates from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. daily until power is fully restored.

It can accommodate 40 voice-based and 60 non-voice online workers and offers a safe and stable environment for Bacolod’s remote workforce.

“We understand how these power outages have affected your livelihood. This extension aims to ensure that our online workers can continue their work comfortably and securely even after hours,” Gasataya said.

Users are advised to bring their own extension cords and essentials, with registration details to be announced soon.

Improved coordination with telcos

Gasataya also met with representatives of PLDT and Globe to strengthen coordination for restoration operations.

The meeting resulted in a unified workflow to address toppled poles, cut wires, and disrupted connectivity, and established a direct communication line among the city government, Negros Power, and telco providers for faster response.

“We will continue to monitor progress and push for faster, coordinated restoration across Bacolod City,” Gasataya assured.