The days after Typhoon Tino left many in Central Negros frustrated. To many, restoration felt slow—especially because Tino was supposedly “weaker” than past storms like Odette. When people experience hours or days without electricity, it’s natural for emotions to run high. That frustration is real, valid, and expected.
That’s why I waited before posting this. In the first week, with so many still without power, anything that sounded “explanatory” might feel insensitive. Now that most households have electricity back, it’s the right time to look at what actually happened—objectively, calmly, and with clearer eyes.
Why the Tino Power Restoration Felt Slow — Even If It Wasn’t
Many believed restoration should have been faster precisely because Tino was weaker.
“Mas baskog to ya si Odette. Pero na balik nila dayun ang power. Indi man gani super typhoon si Tino.”
A very understandable conclusion—but not an accurate one.
The truth:
Tino’s winds were prolonged and concentrated, causing massive treefall and line obstruction across Bacolod and neighboring cities. The clearing operations—always the slowest part—were overwhelming on the first week.
Reinforcement teams also took time to arrive because they needed to secure their own customers first. But thankfully, Tino weakened as it moved, allowing teams from Iloilo, Bohol, and a Cagayan utility to mobilize sooner than expected. Their arrival significantly accelerated the restoration timeline.
And yes—linemen worked non-stop.
Everyone recognized that.
But hard work alone cannot instantly overcome decades of grid deterioration inherited by Negros Power.
Read: Energy Secretary Compliments Negros Power Restoration Efforts
Odette Was the First Quarter Exam. Tino Was the Final Exam.
And this time, Central Negros handled the exam differently.
More staff.
More equipment.
More coordination.
Better planning.
Some of the tools deployed came from utilities with already modernized systems—equipment Negros Power is set to acquire as its rehabilitation program continues. Thanks to the JVA, this kind of coordinated support is something we can now reliably count on when the system faces major storms.
The Part Many Forgot: How Long Restoration Used to Take
This context matters.
When Typhoon Odette struck under CENECO, full restoration took more than a month. Many areas waited five to six weeks before electricity finally returned to normal.
This is not criticism—CENECO faced the same challenges:
old infrastructure, limited equipment, understaffing, and a lack of modern systems.
Now compare that with Tino:
Even though Tino’s clearing operations were difficult and the restoration initially felt slow, Negros Power restored nearly all power within the third week, with only a few isolated cases.
From over a month…
to around three weeks…
despite severe debris, widespread line obstruction, and a grid still undergoing rehabilitation.
That difference is modernization at work.
That difference is what the JVA made possible.
The JVA Debate? Tino Just Answered It.
Privatizing a distribution utility will always spark debate. Understandably so.
But Tino showed something important:
Not that storms are kinder now,
but that our DU responds differently now.
Competent.
Coordinated.
Proactive.
Professional.
Negros Power is only one year into a five-year rehabilitation plan, yet the improvement is already visible.
Why the Tino Power Restoration Was Actually Fast
As a matter of fact, considering that Tino caused more widespread damage in Bacolod and Central Negros, Negros Power still managed to restore nearly all electricity in just three weeks—a clear improvement over CENECO, which took over a month to fully restore power after Odette.
And the real difference was execution.
Negros Power’s rapid restoration was driven by:
- A proactive restoration plan activated before Tino even landed
- Augmentation teams from Iloilo, Bohol, and Cagayan moving decisively
- Pre-positioned equipment and materials, something Central Negros rarely saw before
- Strong collaboration with LGUs, volunteers, and partner utilities that cleared debris faster
This is what a modern utility looks like.
This is what consumers were promised—
and this is what they have finally experienced.
Imagine Year Five
- A sturdier, modernized grid
- Faster restoration after storms
- Better load management
- More advanced equipment and systems
- Power interruptions reduced from weeks to days, eventually even hours
They proved it in Iloilo.
They are proving it now in Negros.
And slowly, people are seeing what real power service should look like.
