Electricity in Manila - Philippines

Since it is likely that visitors to the Philippines will be coming in during the summer months from March to May, having an idea of how the electricity in Metro Manila is utilized will be important. Being a basic necessity, one naturally needs assurance that the power supply is adequate.

The electricity in Metro Manila is run and powered by the National Power Corporation (Napocor), a state owned company. This entity is also responsible, along with other smaller privately owned corporations, in providing power to the other provinces and cities in the general Luzon area. The process in which it works is as follows: the Napocor generates the power, and it is relayed to the National Transmission Corporation (Transco).

The Transco, another government owned company, puts the electricity in Metro Manila through the wires, and it is then allocated to houses, buildings and factories by way of the Manila Electric Company, or Meralco, which is the only entity permitted to perform this task. This is not the case in the other provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao however, as the power supply there is provided by other groups and corporations.

During the early 1990s the electricity in Metro Manila suffered when several power plants were neglected, resulting in daily brownouts lasting from eight to 12 hours. However, the problems were fixed quickly under the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos and the power supply is now normalized.

It is also worth noting that in the event that a power interruption should hit the hotel you are staying in, it will have generators in place which will be started automatically, and the same situation with the shopping malls in the metropolis.

One of the other concerns about electricity in Metro Manila is when the rainy season comes in. Beginning in June, the metropolis does experience strong rains, but these are not enough to take down the power or transmission lines. It also needs to be stressed that very few of the strong or super typhoons ever hit the metro, the rate being only once every decade. Also as stated, in the event that the power supply is temporarily cut short, all the major entertainment centers and resorts have backup power supplies on standby.

Whatever problems that electricity in Metro Manila may have had is in the past. Today, the efforts and steps undertaken by the government ensure that the supply will be regular and uninterrupted, allowing you to enjoy your vacation in the Philippines without worry of a power outage.