DOE: Power restored in Meralco areas affected by habagat

MANILA (UPDATE) — The Department of Energy said power is back to normal across all Meralco franchise areas after Typhoon Crising and the Southwest monsoon or habagat.

On its official Facebook page, the DOE posted at 3:02 p.m. that power has been restored in areas affected by the habagat or southwest monsoon, which has caused floods in many parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Meralco earlier said that as of 12 noon Monday, around 11,000 customers, or less than one percent of total Meralco customers are affected by service interruptions. The affected customers are mostly in Cavite, Bulacan, and Rizal. The rest are in parts of  Metro Manila, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon provinces.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin earlier went to the Meralco Control Center to check on the power situation in Metro Manila amid heavy downpour and flooding.

Garin ordered the power utility firm to resolve all the issues as soon as the weather permits.

“Ang ask lang namin sa Meralco is to be more prudent or observant at proactive within the next 48 hours kasi baka bumuhos pa e,” said Garin.

“Other than yung mga minor na pwedeng i-fix within a few minutes, ang problem yung baha e kasi una hindi makapasok ang taga-Meralco and second, baka delikado din na i-turn on yung electricity. Pero lucky tayo in a sense na wala namang masyadong hangin kaya hindi ganun kalaki ang problema,” she added.

Meralco Chief Operating Officer Ronnie Aperocho assured Garin that they are on an all-hands-on-deck mode.

“We have enough people to respond to troubles that are being reported to us… Pinaka importante yung linemen natin, andoon na sila sa ground,” he said.

Aperocho also noted that MERALCO is in constant coordination with local government units to make sure that power lines will immediately be turned off in flooded areas, especially when there are rescue operations underway for stranded residents, to avoid electrocution.

“Yung usual na binabaha, may nakalagay nang switches para madali nalang ma-isolate yung mga affected areas. Pero minsan nag-iiba yung pattern so hindi pa rin mawawala yung close coordination with the local governments,” said Aperocho.

Meanwhile, DOE Undersecretary Wimpy Fuentebella said that electric cooperatives in the Mountain Province, Benguet, and Abra are also working to resolve power distribution issues in some areas within today or by tomorrow, July 22, 2025.

“Localized yung problem. Ibig sabihin, small areas yung tinatamaan. So minsan sa loob ng isang subdivision may 2 pang circuit dyan so yung kapitbahay mo may kuryente, ikaw wala minsan. Depende anong sanga ang tinamaan o anong wire,” he explained.

Meralco, meanwhile, advised customers to report power outages and other concerns through its official social media pages on Facebook www.facebook.com/meralco and X (formerly Twitter) @meralco. Customers may also text their concerns to 0920- 9716211 and 0917-5516211 or contact the Meralco Hotline at 16211, the utility firm said.