The blackout began at 10:11 p.m. on December 31, 2024, and lasted until 7:45 a.m. the following day. The NGCP attributed the outage to a cut conductor two meters from the insulators in Diit village, Tacloban City. This fault occurred along the Babatngon-Apitong 69kV line, disrupting power across the region.
In a 10:15 p.m. update, the NGCP announced it had dispatched personnel to patrol the affected line, assuring the public that they were working to resolve the issue promptly. Despite these efforts, residents faced an uncomfortable night in darkness during what should have been a celebratory occasion.
Social media backlash highlights public frustration
Netizens took to social media to express their outrage over the incident. Many directed their complaints at the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II), the local distribution utility. Posts accused the cooperative of failing to provide reliable service, despite Leyeco II’s clarification that the fault originated with NGCP’s transmission lines, not their distribution network.
One Facebook user, Ramil Uy, lamented the ongoing power issues in the region, stating, “Tacloban experienced a yearlong brownout. It started in 2024, and it’s already 2025 without assurance of power restoration yet.” His frustration was echoed by the popular Facebook page “iTacloban,” which posted, “People waited for the New Year, but a blackout came instead.”
A troubling trend of power interruptions
This incident is part of a larger issue plaguing the region. Leyeco II serves 90,000 consumers across Tacloban City and the nearby towns of Palo and Babatngon in Leyte province. Residents have reported frequent outages, raising concerns about the reliability of power infrastructure.
The New Year’s Eve blackout has intensified calls for accountability and transparency from both NGCP and Leyeco II. While NGCP’s patrols and repair efforts were acknowledged, many residents remain dissatisfied with the lack of preventive measures.
NGCP faces scrutiny as residents demand solutions
The NGCP’s handling of the situation has drawn criticism from affected communities. Many believe the blackout highlights a systemic issue with power transmission in the region. Calls for more proactive maintenance and better communication during emergencies have grown louder.
Despite NGCP’s assurances, the outage’s timing—during a globally celebrated event—has magnified its impact. Residents argue that such failures are unacceptable and demand tangible improvements to prevent similar incidents in the future.
A call for improved power reliability
The blackout in Tacloban serves as a stark reminder of the importance of reliable power infrastructure. For residents, the disruption was more than an inconvenience; it was a failure of the systems they rely on. As the NGCP investigates and repairs the damaged line, affected communities are left to hope for long-term solutions that address the root causes of these outages.
Efforts to improve infrastructure and communication will be essential to rebuilding trust and ensuring that future celebrations in Tacloban are met with light, not darkness.
Jaja has a degree in journalism and took classes in international law and business communication. Her career spans roles at prominent international media outlets, including International Business Times, Celebeat and Delightful Philippines. As a news editor, Jaja covered a wide range of beats, including legal, business, economy, cryptocurrency, personal finance, gaming, technology, and entertainment.