Keep the Lights On, Keep Democracy Alive: A Consumer Manifesto for Reliable Electricity on Election Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In a nation where democracy stands as the ultimate expression of the people's will, the simple act of casting a vote must be protected with unwavering resolve. As the 2025 National and Local Elections draw near, a powerful coalition of consumer groups, energy advocates, youth leaders, and civil society organizations has issued an urgent and uncompromising call: guarantee uninterrupted electricity on election day—or risk the very legitimacy of our democratic process.

This is not just a demand. It is a manifesto.

The High Voltage of Democracy

A brownout on election day is not merely an inconvenience—it is a clear and present danger to electoral integrity. A single flicker of power can paralyze vote-counting machines, disrupt data transmission, and cast a long shadow over the credibility of the results. Every second of blackout risks not just electricity, but democracy itself.

"We stand united in defense of our democracy and the right of every Filipino to vote in a free, fair, and uninterrupted electoral process," declares the manifesto.

The message is clear: when the lights go out, faith in our institutions dims.

Our Demands: Loud, Clear, and Non-Negotiable

To all stakeholders in the energy sector—from generators to regulators, cooperatives to concessionaires—this coalition delivers a set of firm, actionable demands:

1. A Public and Accountable Commitment to No Brownouts

We call on the Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the National Electrification Administration (NEA), electric cooperatives, and especially the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to publicly commit to delivering uninterrupted electricity supply before, during, and after the 2025 elections.

2. Strict Compliance with DOE Advisory No. 2025-04-002-SEC

All utility distributors must comply with DOE Advisory 2025-04-002-SEC, which mandates the preparedness of power supply and grid reliability throughout all franchise areas. Every plant must be operational and maintained by April 2025. No excuses.

3. Accountability Must Be Enforced

Congress and all regulatory agencies must impose strict penalties on energy players found liable for any power outages tied to the elections. These are not ordinary lapses—they are failures of national consequence.

4. Franchise and Contract Reviews for Repeat Offenders

Entities behind repeated yellow/red alerts or election-related blackouts must face immediate review of their contracts and licenses. Repeat offenders must be barred from future Competitive Selection Processes (CSP) and risk having their franchises revoked.

5. No One Is Above Democracy

The power sector is not above public scrutiny. When democracy is at stake, no institution—no matter how powerful—can hide in the dark.

A Battle Cry for 2025 and Beyond

This consumer manifesto is more than a policy statement. It is a battle cry. A rallying point for vigilance. A collective demand to “keep the lights on, and keep democracy alive.”

The undersigned—a powerful and diverse assembly of advocates from across the country—stand not only for electricity but for accountability, transparency, and justice.

The Signatories

From seasoned consumer rights champions to emerging youth leaders, the signatories of this manifesto include:

Nic Satur Jr., Chief Advocate Officer, Partners for Affordable & Reliable Energy

Rex Reyes, Youth Energy Advocate, Isabela Province

Roem Jedrick Andaya, Regional Coordinator, Partners for Affordable & Reliable Energy

Ric Samaniego, Founder & Chairman, Philippine Coalition of Consumers Welfare Inc

NJ Rivera, 2025 President, JCI BLISTT

Eric Raymundo, 2025 President, Bayanihan Para Sa Kalikasan Movement

Gio Almoite, Coordinator, SEED4COM

Jerry Yao, Academician & Entrepreneur, Tondo, Manila

MJ Gambulao, Research Consultant & Entrepreneur

Nathaniel Chua, Convenor, CERA

Bas Umali, National Coordinator, Kuryente.org

Beng Garcia, Energy Advocate

Larry Pascua, Senior Energy Program Officer, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice

Butch Junia, Energy Advocate

RJ Javellana, National Coordinator, United Filipino Consumers & Commuters

Angelo Santiago, Energy Advocate, Zamboanga City

David D’Angelo, Senatorial Aspirant, Chairman of the Green Party of the Philippines, Board of Trustee of GREEN

Ross Del Rosario, Founder, Wazzup Pilipinas

Kenneth Fiao-Ag, Energy Advocate, PARE Volunteer, Baguio City

Gweyn Sannadan, Energy Youth Advocate, PARE Volunteer, Itogon, Benguet

A Warning to the Power Sector

Let there be no illusions. A brownout on election day is not an accident—it is a breach of public trust.

The Filipino people are watching.

As ballots are cast and the nation holds its breath for the future, no one must be left in the dark.

Let this be a warning, a promise, and a pledge:

Keep the lights on. Keep democracy alive.

Deadly Steel and Silent Trains: The NAIA Bollard Tragedy and the High Cost of Substandard Infrastructure

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In a nation already fatigued by tragedies that are too often swept under the rug, another preventable disaster has claimed lives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1. This time, it wasn’t a plane crash or an airport security lapse—but a simple yet fatal failure of infrastructure.

An SUV rammed through what was supposed to be a line of protective bollards at the Terminal 1 departure area, striking and killing two innocent people. The steel posts—meant to serve as barriers between speeding vehicles and pedestrians—snapped and fell apart like toothpicks. In the aftermath of the carnage, Transport Secretary Vince Dizon arrived to inspect the scene, but what met his eyes was not just wreckage—it was a haunting reminder of a broken system that values ribbon-cutting ceremonies over real safety.

A Grim Symbol of “Build, Build, Build”

The bollards in question were part of an P8-million project reportedly completed in 2019. According to the Manila International Airport Authority’s own report, these bollards were specifically installed to prevent precisely the kind of ramming incident that occurred. But when the moment of reckoning arrived, they failed catastrophically.

Ironically, these bollards stand as one of the many pet projects under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s much-touted “Build, Build, Build” program—a slogan that once promised to elevate Philippine infrastructure to global standards. Instead, what the public got was a façade of development, a set of projects that may have looked good in photos but lacked the foundational integrity to save lives when it mattered most.

It’s one thing to misspend taxpayers’ money. It’s another to install substandard safety measures that lull the public into a false sense of security—only to watch them collapse when truly tested.

A Trail of Red Flags

Internet sleuths and concerned citizens have unearthed chilling details. The contractor behind the NAIA bollards project was a firm known as Kontrak Enterprises, reportedly incorporated in 2016—the same year Duterte took office. By 2019, it had bagged the bollards project, but today, its Facebook page has vanished, and its digital footprint is nearly nonexistent save for one photo suggesting the firm’s allegiance to Duterte.

Is this merely coincidence, or a case study in cronyism? With limited public documentation and transparency, one can’t help but question how this firm secured a multi-million peso contract with such ease and anonymity. In the world of public infrastructure, shady deals don’t just waste money—they end lives.

A Deadly Lack of Vision

Beyond the questionable bollards lies a more glaring issue: the total absence of a dedicated rail system to our nation’s primary international airport. While other Southeast Asian cities like Singapore and Bangkok have seamlessly integrated airport terminals into their urban rail systems, NAIA remains isolated—forcing all foot traffic and transport onto crowded roads.

The result? Airports that are not just inconvenient to access, but dangerously dependent on vehicular traffic. Had there been a train line to NAIA, perhaps fewer cars would congest the terminals. Perhaps the SUV that barreled through those flimsy bollards wouldn’t have even been there. Perhaps lives would still be intact.

Road Culture and Regulatory Decay

To make matters worse, we continue to issue driver’s licenses to individuals barely trained in road safety or vehicle operation. Our licensing system is notoriously lax, our roads chaotic, and our response to preventable disasters grossly inadequate. The combination of poor infrastructure, corrupt contracting, and negligent regulation has become a recipe for tragedies like this one.

This isn’t merely about an errant driver or a tragic mistake—it’s about a system that puts convenience over caution, contractors over citizens, and appearances over accountability.

What Now?

The deaths at NAIA Terminal 1 are not isolated incidents. They are the inevitable consequence of a state that builds not for the future, but for political fanfare. They highlight a transport ecosystem that refuses to modernize, a governance culture that rewards loyalty over capability, and a collective amnesia that forgets its dead as quickly as the next news cycle begins.

The Wazzup Pilipinas founder urges Secretary Dizon and all stakeholders to do more than issue condolences and conduct symbolic site visits. Investigate the bollard project thoroughly. Audit every safety measure installed across our nation's airports. Demand accountability from contractors like Kontrak Enterprises. And finally, put the commuter first—not the car, not the contractor, and certainly not the corrupt.

This tragedy should be the last. But it won’t be—unless we start building with integrity, regulating with resolve, and putting public safety above political slogans.

Because corruption doesn’t just steal money. It steals lives.

Beyond Books: DepEd’s National Call to Arms Against Illiteracy and Hunger

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In the heart of the Philippines’ education crisis, a new battle cry emerges—not from the chalkboards and classrooms alone, but from the dinner tables, barangay halls, and community kitchens. The Department of Education (DepEd), guided by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., has issued a powerful and urgent call: the fight against illiteracy must go beyond the classroom walls.

This is no longer just about test scores or lesson plans. It is about the empty stomachs, distracted minds, and unsupported homes that make learning impossible. And as the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) results reveal alarming gaps in reading skills across regions, DepEd is pivoting—rallying parents, communities, and private stakeholders into action.

“Children can’t learn on an empty stomach. Teachers can’t teach if students come to school hungry, sick, or unsupported at home. This is bigger than DepEd. Solving literacy means mobilizing parents, LGUs, and the private sector,” declared Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

Reading Begins at Home: The First Teachers

In a country where millions of children struggle to read by the end of Grade 3, the frontlines of literacy begin at home. President Marcos himself stressed the critical role of parents, calling on them to turn bedtime stories into stepping stones for national development.

“To our parents… take the time to read stories to your children. It may be a small step. But it is a crucial one in looking after those who will inherit our motherland,” he urged.

Research from UNESCO backs this call—early childhood routines, storytelling, and engaged parenting significantly enhance a child’s ability to absorb formal education. Recognizing this, DepEd has intensified efforts with programs like the Bawat Bata Makakabasa Program (BBMP), the Literacy Remediation Program (LRP), and the Summer Academic Remediation Program, targeting foundational reading and math skills before learners move up a grade.

But the real heroes may be the unsung mothers and fathers flipping pages at home.

In Cebu, a shining example comes from the Zonta Club of Cebu II with their Alimbukad: Basa Pamilya program. Book bags are sent home, and monthly guided sessions train parents in the art of reading aloud and cultivating learning environments. Schools like Poo Elementary in Lapu-Lapu City have become centers of literacy not just for children—but for entire families.

Feeding the Mind by Filling the Stomach

But literacy is more than letters and syllables. It's also rice, protein, and clean water. According to UNICEF, a child's ability to learn is intricately tied to their nutrition. And in the Philippines, hunger remains a silent saboteur of education.

To combat this, DepEd is expanding its School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) to reach over 3.3 million learners in School Year 2025–2026, including all public Kindergarten students. This move aligns with global research on the “first 1,000 days”—a vital window for physical and brain development. Malnutrition during this phase doesn’t just delay growth—it shuts down potential.

“We are doing our part. Now we need the rest of the village to act,” Angara said, underscoring the urgent need for a whole-of-nation response.

The Power of Partnerships: Jollibee Steps In

In the fight for both learning and nourishment, the private sector has answered the call. The Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), through its Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT) program, has been pivotal in feeding minds by literally filling bellies.

Its innovative Central Kitchen model—now in 41 locations—prepares and delivers nutritious meals to over 30,000 students in more than 200 schools. For school heads like Principal Leah Gualvez of Cayabon Elementary School in Masbate, the impact is life-changing:

“Napakalaking tulong ng programang ito sa development ng mga bata. Kapag busog ang mga bata, mas naiiintindihan nila ang mga aralin.”

The model reduces costs and ensures consistent meal quality while freeing up school staff to focus on instruction. It’s a powerful blueprint for public-private synergy in solving complex societal problems.

A Nation of Readers—and Feeders

DepEd’s campaign is not merely an educational reform—it’s a social movement. One that recognizes that books can’t be read if minds are starving, and lessons can't be learned if hearts are anxious.

It is a call to every Filipino: to read with our children, feed their dreams, and invest not just in grades but in futures. For as the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child—and perhaps, an entire nation to teach one to read.

And now, the village is being summoned. Will we answer?