Sunday, 1 November 2026
5 days ago
PH moves to secure fuel reserves abroad amid Middle East tensions
CEBU CITY—The Philippine government is exploring arrangements to reserve petroleum products in overseas storage facilities to secure additional fuel supplies amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.
21 Oct 2026
4:44PM
INSIDER VIEW | Semirara coal bidding will protect Filipino consumers
By: Daxim L. Lucas
Semirara is described by the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms as the source of roughly 97 percent of Philippine domestic coal production, and coal remains a major fuel for the power sector. A resource of that scale should be awarded through transparent rules, clear obligations, and competition for the best public benefit.
15 Oct 2026
9:13AM
DOE backs exceptions to coal ban amid Visayas power woes
CEBU CITY—Two coal-fired power projects with a combined capacity of 257 megawatts (MW) are being planned for Cebu to strengthen baseload electricity supply and meet the province’s growing power demand.
7 Oct 2026
9:34AM
SMPC cries foul over Semirara bid rules, warns of July coal shutdown
Consunji-led Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) warned that new bidding rules for the country’s biggest coal mine could bring production to a halt by July 2027, potentially cutting government revenues and putting pressure on electricity prices.
7 Oct 2026
9:25AM
NGCP: No deliberate delay in Visayas reserve power contracts
CEBU CITY—National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has assured the Department of Energy (DOE) that it has no intention of delaying the execution of ancillary services procurement agreements (ASPAs) amid the department’s concerns over recent power alerts in the Visayas.
29 Sep 2026
6:10PM
DOE orders monthly LPG, kerosene cost reports as tax relief returns
The Department of Energy (DOE) will require oil companies to submit monthly cost reports on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene following the renewed suspension of excise taxes on the two fuels.
23 Sep 2026
5:09PM
ERC price cap may cut VisMin WESM rates by over 50%
CEBU CITY—The Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) move to apply the Secondary Price Cap (SPC) separately to the Visayas and Mindanao grids could cut average wholesale electricity prices by more than half, providing relief to consumers hit by price spikes amid tight power supply, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
18 Sep 2026
7:30AM
DOE terminates 2026 coal bid round, orders review of award rules
The Department of Energy (DOE) has terminated its 2026 coal bid round covering three areas with established reserves, including coal blocks on Semirara Island, as it reviews the rules for awarding development and production contracts.
8 Sep 2026
9:16AM
DOE sees relief from Visayas brownouts by Sept. 21
CEBU CITY—Cebuanos reeling from rotating brownouts will have to hang on a little longer.
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