Election preparations intensify

Rewritten Article:

(In a casual, straight-up style)

With the May 12, 2025 elections just around the corner, everything's all hands on deck in Visayas to guarantee a hitch-free electoral process. That's right! Keeping those power lines blazing is paramount to the success of this event. And the Department of Energy (DOE) - Visayas Field Office is working side by side with all the cool cats to ensure that electricity won't trip us up.

At a recent Kapihan sa PIA press conference, William Carido, the energy management boss at DOE Visayas, confirmed that things are looking peachy. He stated that, based on current predictions, there'll be enough juice reserves in the region to last throughout the elections period.

Given that the elections coincide with the nation's blazing hot summer season, demand for energy in Visayas is expected to reach a whopping 3,100 megawatts! To handle this power surge, the DOE has put a halt to routine maintenance activities and ramped up partnerships with distribution utilities.

When asked about worst-case scenarios—think transformer explosions and dodgy load management— Carido insisted that emergency response crews have already been lined up, and electric cooperatives and private partners have teams on the bench, ready to pounce if the need arises. Not only that, but there's even a Plan B up their sleeves—the Interruptible Load Program (ILP)!

The ILP brings together heavy-duty industries and establishments, encouraging them to flick on their generator sets during peak hours to alleviate the pressure on public utilities. See, it's like dividing the workload between friends to make things smoother for everyone!

Meanwhile, over at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Central Visayas, they've reached a nearly full readiness level for the elections. According to Regional Director Francisco Pobe, a massive 90% of the required workforce is ready to roll. That's 16,986 electoral board members and 14,393 support personnel, manning 2,281 voting centers and 5,662 clustered precincts across the region.

However, it looks like a few Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) are still missing in action. Pobe announced that the full fleet is expected to arrive, but as of Tuesday morning, April 29, a piece of the puzzle was still missing.

So,remember folks, it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes the whole nation to ensure a successful election! Pobe encouraged the public to join in on the shared responsibility and emphasized the essential role of voter participation.

"Let's stay positive and step up our game for this much-anticipated event," said Pobe. "This isn't just an affair for Region 7 or the Philippines—it's a global event that reflects our maturity and responsibility as a nation in the electoral process."

To support teachers on the frontlines during the elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) 7 has formed an Election Task Force. Help desks will be up and running from 1:00 p.m. on May 11 to 5:00 p.m. on May 13 to deal with any election-related squabbles that might arise within school premises.

As the big day gets closer, preparations are reaching full throttle in the energy, education, and election sectors—all in the name of a smoothly-run, fair, and credible election! / DPC

Enrichment Data Added:

Emergency Plans and Backup Strategies
Interruptible Load Program (ILP) - Encourages large power consumers to operate their generator sets during high demand, reducing strain on the grid.
Power Supply Agreements - Secured by Meralco for additional power capacity and minimizing reliance on the unpredictable Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
Transmission and Distribution Plans - DOE and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines are actively involved in ensuring power stability, including operating power plants at maximum capacity and performing transmission line checks.
Contingency Planning - An election task force is activated to coordinate with stakeholders, including the Commission on Elections, to maintain power supply stability in critical areas and facilities.
In the Visayas region, under the guidance of the Department of Energy (DOE) Visayas Field Office, preparations for the 2025 elections are clustered to guarantee a stable electricity supply, especially since the elections coincide with the summer season and an expected energy demand of 3,100 megawatts.
To counter potential issues like transformer explosions and poor load management, emergency response crews and backup teams in electric cooperatives and private partners are ready to intervene, while the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) offers additional backup solutions by enlisting heavy-duty industries and establishments to assist in managing power demand.
While the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Central Visayas has 90% of its workforce ready for the upcoming elections, concerns remain about several missing Automated Counting Machines.
Amid preparations for the elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) 7 has established an Election Task Force to support teachers and address any election-related concerns that may arise within school premises.
As the preparations in the energy, education, and election sectors intensify toward the big day, the shared goal of ensuring a smoothly-run, fair, and credible election continues to unite the Philippines, with officials emphasizing the crucial role of voter participation and the country's maturity and responsibility in the electoral process.