Executive Summary for the Scheduled Power Interruptions in the Philippines
Scheduled maintenance from 23–28 February will result in rolling power interruptions across affected feeders in Metro Manila and parts of Bulacan. Expected outage duration per locality is four to eight hours, primarily during daytime working periods. Severity is moderate, driven by localized business interruption, traffic signal disruption and increased safety requirements due to concurrent mass gatherings on 25 February. No widespread grid instability is anticipated.
- Date of Event: 23-28 February
- Location: Metro Manila and Bulacan, Philippines
- Risk Category: Critical Infrastructure
- Severity Score: 3 / 5
- Confidence Level: 80 %
What is Risk Analysis in the Context of Critical Infrastructure Events
Critical infrastructure risk analysis evaluates vulnerabilities within essential services such as power grids, transport systems and telecommunications. Electricity distribution outages, even when planned, can disrupt business operations, healthcare services and mobility networks. In the Philippines, scheduled maintenance by distribution utilities typically results in daytime brownouts lasting four to eight hours per feeder. While these are controlled events rather than grid failures, concurrent high-footfall activities and urban density amplify operational and safety risks. Proactive monitoring of power interruptions and grid maintenance schedules is therefore essential for business continuity and public safety management.
Known Hotspots and Sensitive Areas
High Impact:
- EDSA Shrine (Ortigas–EDSA corridor)
- Quezon Memorial Circle and Commonwealth Avenue
- Major hospitals including Philippine Heart Center and Lung Center of the Philippines
Medium Impact:
- Commercial districts in Quezon City (Commonwealth, Novaliches)
- Caloocan and Malolos corridor in Bulacan
- MRT auxiliary-powered stations along EDSA
Low Impact:
- Areas with redundant feeder support or established generator capacity
Maintenance-related outages occur monthly to quarterly, typically during daytime windows, with predictable but localized disruption.
Impact on Transportation and Services
Traffic signal outages may cause congestion at EDSA–Ortigas, EDSA–Taft and Commonwealth intersections. While MRT/LRT systems generally maintain backup power, auxiliary system failures may result in minor delays. Retail, SMEs and small manufacturing entities without generator or UPS capacity may face revenue loss and process interruption. Telecommunications and small ISPs with limited backup systems could experience short downtime. Cold-chain operators may incur minor supply chain delays where refrigeration continuity is compromised.
Recommended Actions
Immediate Measures:
- Activate emergency power continuity plans and verify generator/UPS readiness.
- Issue staff advisories, implement staggered shifts and enable remote work where feasible.
- Pre-position portable lighting and first aid at high-footfall locations
- Communicate outage windows to clients and suppliers 48 and four hours in advance.
Strategic Measures:
- Strengthen redundancy planning for critical sites, including fuel contracts and load prioritization.
- Coordinate with local government units, traffic management offices and emergency services.
- Conduct post-restoration validation and incident documentation for regulatory compliance.
Multidimensional Impact
Concurrent public assemblies may elevate demand for lighting, communications and medical services. Reduced street lighting and intermittent network availability could complicate crowd management, increasing strain on police and emergency responders.
Emergency Contacts
- Emergency Number: 911
- Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMO): geronatarlac.gov.ph/ldrrmo-about/
- Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Traffic Hotline: 136
- Meralco Customer Hotline and Outage Monitoring Portal: company.meralco.com.ph/faq-about/outages-and-incidents
Final Thoughts
The scheduled power interruptions represent a moderate but manageable critical infrastructure risk. While impacts are expected to remain localized and time-bound, concurrent mass gatherings heighten operational sensitivity. Organizations should prioritize backup power resilience, communications continuity and proactive stakeholder engagement.
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