A CONSUMER watchdog warned that uneven and delayed power restoration across Cebu Province is now triggering widespread water shortages, heightening sanitation risks and disrupting daily economic activity in communities still reeling from typhoon Tino.
In a statement, the Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (Cera) said recurrent water service interruptions outside Metro Cebu have become “intolerable and avoidable,” blaming the disruptions on the unstable power supply feeding water pumping stations. Dry taps, poor sanitation and rising public health hazards have emerged in several municipalities as blackouts persist.
Cera contrasted the faster restoration in Metro Cebu — handled by Visayan Electric Co. — with the slow and inconsistent efforts in areas served by the Cebu Electric Cooperatives (Cebeco), where thousands of households have reportedly struggled for days without water. The group said the disparity underscores long-standing infrastructure gaps and inconsistent coordination in provincial power recovery efforts.
“There is an alarming pattern between the speed of recovery in Cebu City and the hardship being endured in Cebu Province,” Cera convenor Nathaniel Chua said, urging utilities to prioritize communities where water systems remain down. He noted that when power lines supplying pumping stations fail, entire districts lose access to clean water and must rely on backup systems that cannot run for long.
Cera warned that prolonged service interruptions risk triggering larger economic and public health fallout, as compromised sanitation may affect food safety, consumer mobility, hospital operations and overall community recovery.
“Power lines serving water pumping stations should be restored with the same urgency as those serving hospitals because they are both necessities of life,” Chua said.
The group called on electric utilities — including Mactan Electric Company and the Cebecos — and regulators such as the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy to implement immediate reforms. These include fair resource deployment to hard-hit areas, prioritization of circuits supplying key water facilities, fast-tracking of resilience projects like underground cabling and grid strengthening and consistent communication with consumers on restoration timelines.
Cera said the province’s latest water crisis highlights the fragile link between Cebu’s power and water infrastructure, adding that failure to act will leave communities increasingly vulnerable in future disasters. / KOC