As of June 2006, 94 percent or 39,479 out of the 41,980 barangays from 1,618 energized cities and municipalities all over the Philippines have been energized by the various electric distribution utilities operating in the country (Table 1). Electric cooperatives, which cover a lion’s share of all the barangays in the country, have energized a total of 33,637 barangays or 93 percent of its coverage area. The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), one of the largest electric distribution utilities in the country which mainly serves the National Capital Region, has electrified 98 percent (4,255 out of 4,322 barangays) of its coverage area. Meanwhile, other private investors-owned utilities (PIOUs) and distribution utilities in the local government units (LGUs) have energized 1,587 barangays or 97 percent of the 1,628 of its covered barangays.

Table 1. Performance by Utility
(as of June 2006)

Source: Department of Energy website ( www.doe.gov.ph/e-desk)

Despite the high energization level of the cities, municipalities and barangays, the actual number of connections served by the electric distribution utilities as of mid-2006, is lagging at 74 percent only, or 12.8 million connections out of the 17.3 million possible connections in the country. As expected, MERALCO, which covers largely urban areas, obtained the highest rate of connections served at 98 percent, or 4.3 million out of 4.4 million available connections. Meanwhile, PIOUs/LGUs/Others have connected 80 percent of its potential customers, or 1.2 million out of the 1.5 million potential customers. On the other hand, out of 11.4 million possible connections that could be served, the electric cooperatives have actually connected 64 percent of all the potential connections available in its coverage areas, which is equivalent to 7.3 million customers.

Fig 1. Percent Share of Electric Distribution Utilities in Barangay Coverage

Source: National Electrification Administration

Electric cooperatives’ (ECs) coverage area (which are mostly located in rural areas) is about 86 percent or 36,030 out of 41,980 potential barangays for electrification in the country. As of July 2006, four regions namely Regions I, III, IV-A and VII almost attained a fully energized status at 99 percent each (Table 2). At 70 percent, ARMM is the least energized among the regions, with a total of 1,832 out of the 2,167 potential barangays energized. Regions I, III and IV-A all had 80 percent or more rate of connection served. ARMM registered 23 percent actual connection, the lowest among the regions covered by the ECs.

Table 2. Status of Energization in the Region by Electric Cooperatives
(as of July 2006)

Source: National Electrification Administration