What a fun day in Bogo City! I’m being sarcastic as I am in the middle of hour five of what appears to be an all day brownout.
A few days ago, a friend from Mindanao sent me a text message. He was not happy about a brownout he was going through in Davao City.
I told him it had been about six weeks since we had had a brownout in Bogo but that I had little doubt they would be back.
Then I read about some scheduled brownouts in Angeles due this week. Though it is a long way from me, I suspected that I would be seeing the return of the dreaded brownout.
Vegetable Market in Bogo City
I lost my sense of humor about them a long time ago.
The lights went out at 8am this morning. Usually we see this on Sunday’s and when we do, the lights are out all day. Since it is Wednesday, I thought it wouldn’t be too long, still I worried due to the time it started.
Jessie called the power company a few minutes after the power was shut off. They told her it would be two hours. At one point, the times they gave us were usally accurate but for the last six months, not accurate at all.
Three hours later and still no electricity. Jessie calls again and was told there was a delay. Jessie said “It will probably till lunch.” I said, “It will be all day.”
It is now almost 2pm, my first battery powered fan died hours ago. The second one is getting slow and about to die.
At least it is not as hot as it usually is. It has been cloudy most of the day. I wish the rain would return to help keep it cool.
I hope I’m wrong but I don’t anticapte having electricty restored until after 5pm.
To amuse herself, Jessie decided to cut on me! Dang Waray like sharp things. I’m being a bit dramatic, she cut my toe nails and finger nails just to have something to do. When it was over, she said “Now my fun is over.”
I want to take a shower, but so far, I don’t want that bad enough to endure the cold water. With little sun today, it is likely to be quite cold.
So, I’ve taken a few minutes to write this article and warn the reader of the biggest draw back to living in the Philippines. For those of living in Cebu, it is even worse. Cebu is plauged with brownouts.
Even though the National Power Corporation (NPC) has said there will be plenty of power in the Visayas, I knew there would be more brownouts.
There, now my fan died and the heat is really on. I’ll likely find my way to that cold shower soon as the sweat starts pouring off me.
I likely have three more hours of brownout to endure. It is going to be so much fun!
Maybe I can come up with some more story ideas while I melt. Writing helps to take my angry mind off the lack of electricity in the Philippines.
Before the day was over, not only did we loose electricity but we also lost water and the phone has been dead since about noon. The lights came on at 2pm and then back off at 4pm. Finally we had electricity starting around 5:30. To finish it all off the Internet died shortly after the lights came back on.
I was finally able to take a shower around 9pm.
I do fear a repeat for tomorrow. I hope my fears are unfounded.
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Tagged with: Bogo City • Living in Cebu • Living In The Philippines
Filed under: Expats Living in Cebu • Living In The Philippines
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Just a curious question and not trying to be funny being as serious as a heart attack. Has anyone made any suggestions about altertive engery Like wind turbines, or solar pannels. Just curious and if not where would one start? Please let me know i am sure you will see me soon enough in bogo. Because i will be there soon and i kinda stick out *LOL* height doen’t help..
Dusty
HI Dusty,
I see lots of talk of that. Mostly of the government developing wind energy. A province close to Cebu has some. I don’t recall which one. Cebu is looking into it as well.
I found a website offering solar power but at these prices and what you get for your money, I think I’d have to go with a generator.
http://www.sophilcor.com/index_files/SOLARSTARhomepowerset.htm
I read last night of a new power plant coming online in Toledo, a city near Cebu City next month. That is really great news. With this new plant, Cebu should have enough power. Right now, demand is exceeding supply. This will ease that for a little while.
Cebu is growing, so I hope their are more plants in the works. We will need them.
Hey Rusty:
Sorry to hear about all the electrical power problems in the RP and how they’re affecting your lifestyle. That could be a deal breaker for some Expats who are used to having their power on 24×7. Places like Thailand and Malaysia don’t seem to have this problem. Having a generator is one solution but it’s a temporary one. Question – Hind sight knowing now about all the issues you’ve encountered in living in the RP would you of chosen another location in SE Asia like maybe Chang Mai in Thailand or Penang in Malaysia? I’d like your thoughts coz I’m really considering my options for an early retirement = this year! Can’t wait to live in Asia again! Thanks Rusty!
Hi Nick, Yes, I would still choose here. I could still go another place if I wanted too.
The region of the Philippines that I live in is the hardest hit for brownouts. A huge part of it is rapid growth in this area. Places that have this problem seem to change though. For a while it was Mindanao with the problem.
With the new power plant coming online next month, if it actually does, I think we’ll see some improvement in this. I hope but I wont be surprised if we don’t.
I have a great lady here, prices are great and less violence than most other places. My main reason for coming was the lower cost of living. It is my perception that terrorism is a bigger issue in Malaysia.
Where ever you go there are going to be problems.
I probably would have looked more into a cooler area of the Philippines though. Some of those places are more expensive. Cebu is more modern than many areas. Makati is far more modern, quite Westernized but the prices are MUCH higher there.
I am disappointed as to how this new administration is handling the power issue. It appears that no concrete plan and action is being taken up by the government. Soon, Luzon will join VisMin in having scheduled brownouts.
Good luck to all of us especially during the summer of this year.
Hi Oliver! I’m going to start looking for a third battery powered fan.
I’m not looking forward to May, that’s usually the worst!
We have many brownouts issue here on Samar also. A couple of clicks down the road they are also building a new power plant. Plus they are building a new open market and bus depots. The Ciriaco Hotel and Resort is open for business (but not finished with construction) right across the street from me. I’m hoping that all these things mean that someone knows something that I don’t and better times are coming to Samar. I’m starting to figure out things for my blog, it’s improving by leaps and bounds these days and soon most of our bills that we started when we got here, will be paid off. Things are looking up here so even though brownouts are a pain in the backside, a good generator will take care of that. It just becomes a minor inconvenience after awhile and a major fuel bill to operate the generator. I always say not to sweat the little stuff though.
Hi John,
Yeah I agree about small stuff. I didn’t complain too much about one brownout a month. I complained but once they started up with the two hours every day or all day two days a week, then it got under my skin.
I usually use the kids netbook to write when the power is down. Often about the power being down. Publicizing the problem can’t be good for tourism.
I think some areas of Samar have it worse than Cebu. The high rate of growth in Cebu is a major factor though.
Sounds like they are at least trying to make it better. The heat makes me ill.
Not to be a stick in the mud, but how easy is it to install a solar power or a wind turbine? There are lots of resources on how to build these online. Not the least of which is mother earth news. Plus there are a bunch of other resources out there. I am unfamiliar with the sun/wind patterns there, so this might not be the best of ideas, but I am just trying to brainstorm. Is there a creek close by? Maybe a micor-hydro unit with alternators would help? There are tons of ways to create electricity, but there may be some kind of city hurdle you have to jump through as well. I dunno. I know that if it were me, I would be looking for a solution if it is this common. But that is just my nature
Hi Randy, your not a stick in the mud but I don’t know the answer to your question. I’m not good with mechanical things.
Maybe you’ll come build one for me.
Then we’ll both know. I don’t know. Others have commented that know more than me.