Widespread power outages hit the Philippines on Friday, affecting millions of residents during the country’s hottest month of the year.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said rolling one-hour blackouts struck parts of Metro Manila and Luzon due to major grid disruptions and maintenance shutdowns at several power plants.
The outages are expected to extend to the Visayas, where some areas may experience up to seven hours without electricity.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said authorities are investigating the incident and vowed a full review of operational and technical issues.
Luzon, home to nearly half of the country’s 116 million population, was heavily affected as electricity demand surged due to extreme heat.
Source: PhilNews24 | May 16, 2026
