The National Electrification Administration (NEA) reaffirmed its commitment to deliver reliable electricity in rural communities as it highlighted how its partner electric cooperatives (ECs) have been adapting to a rapidly changing energy landscape.
NEA Deputy Administrator for Technical Services Engr. Ernesto Silvano, Jr. noted that the agency has been leaning on resiliency measures, digital innovation, and renewable energy efforts to sustain rural electrification amid modern disruptions.
Speaking at the BusinessWorld Insights Forum on Tuesday, 22 April 2025, he said the NEA led by Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda, is moving forward with its mandate to electrify households in the countryside despite climate threats, rising power costs, and infrastructure gaps.
“𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴,” Silvano said in a keynote speech delivered on behalf of Administrator Almeda.
The NEA executive outlined key strategies being implemented by the Agency to address persistent and emerging challenges:
- Strengthening Resiliency: With natural disasters consistently disrupting power supply, NEA is pushing for reforms to the Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF) to allow for disaster mitigation measures, such as retrofitting aging powerline infrastructure.
- Digital Transformation: NEA has begun centralizing real-time data monitoring from ECs through its Digital Dashboard Command Center, which enables faster response to outages and laying the groundwork for predictive analytics and data-driven decisions.
- Climate-Responsive Measures: In partnership with international agencies, the NEA has been rolling out smart grid systems and engaging in climate resiliency summits. It is also actively encouraging ECs to develop sustainable initiatives in managing critical energy facilities.
- Expanding Renewable Energy (RE) Access: The agency backs projects such as solar home systems for off-grid communities to promote localized, cost-effective energy solutions. It is also streamlining efforts to attract financing and cutting red tape to execute RE projects.
Deputy Administrator Silvano reported that ECs in Benguet, Cebu, and Misamis Oriental are already piloting smart grid technologies with more expected to join. Those in the Bangsamoro region, meanwhile, continue to receive support to develop and enhance their energy assets through international funding.
“𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘶𝘱𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴. 𝘕𝘌𝘈 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘊𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯,” he said. ###
