Residents of Laiya, a popular tourist draw in San Juan, a town at the edge of Batangas province, are calling on BATELEC II to allow Manila Electric Co. to assist in providing reliable electricity service to unlock the seaside community’s full economic potential.
Known for its white sand beaches, Laiya has attracted major property developers in recent years, positioning itself as a prime tourism and investment hub. Nearby, the coral gardens of Lobo further enhance the area’s appeal to both local and foreign visitors, underscoring the region’s growth potential, if supported by dependable infrastructure.
Nearly 2,000 residents and business owners formalized the appeal through a petition submitted to BATELEC II, citing years of unreliable service that have disrupted livelihoods and deterred tourism-driven growth. Frequent and often unannounced outages—typically lasting one to three hours—have become a persistent concern in the area.
The petition’s claims are supported by a recent Capstone Intel survey, which found that 93 percent of BATELEC II consumers experience repeated power interruptions. Petitioners said the outages have grown more frequent and prolonged, affecting not only businesses but also students attending online classes and workers dependent on stable electricity.
Residents also pointed to unstable voltage, which they said has damaged appliances such as refrigerators, electric fans, and televisions in both homes and commercial establishments. They further cited what they described as poor customer service and inadequate maintenance of facilities, contributing to recurring disruptions.
The petition questioned BATELEC II’s capacity to meet rising electricity demand amid population growth and expanding tourism activity. Without clear infrastructure upgrades, residents warned, Laiya’s development could remain constrained despite its strong potential as a tourism hub.
Signatories are pushing for a transition to Manila Electric Co., expressing hope that a new provider would deliver more dependable, stable, and higher-quality electricity service essential to growth and safety.
“Ang petisyong ito ay nagmumula sa aming komunidad,” the petition read, describing the initiative as a unified call for improved service. “Kami ay naniniwala na ang pagpasok ng Meralco sa aming barangay ay makatutulong upang magkaroon ng mas maaasahan, matatag, at de kalidad na serbisyong kuryente na mahalga sa kaunlaran, kaligtasan, at pang araw araw na pamumuhay ng aming komunidad,” the petition further stated.
