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The Energy Regulatory Commission's (ERC) supposed inaction on the needs of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) has resulted to the 20-hour power outages besetting Occidental Mindoro every day. This was the claim Sunday, April 23 of Romblon lone district Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, who noted that the Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corp. (Omeco) has not been able to supply enough power to its service area due to Napocor's unpaid subsidies. According to Madrona, Napocor had requested ERC to adjust power rates to reflect the true cost of electricity. ERC has not approved Napocor's request, so that the national government could stop coughing money," he said. The solon stressed that power costs have been rising since last year, particularly due to the increase in fuel prices, which jumped from P30 per liter at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic to P60 per liter. Occidental Mindoro, with a population of 530,000, has been grappling with 20-hour blackouts for over a month now as its power supplier, Omeco, has not been able to supply locals with sufficient electricity. In a hearing at the House of Representatives last month, Omeco President Eleanor Costibolo said the blackouts were caused by red tape in ERC, which prevented them from paying Omeco's suppliers. "The subsidy is the root of all problems. That’s why if you’ll ask me now what can be done, we can enter an emergency power procurement,” said Costibolo, who at the same time denied mismanagement on the part of the cooperative. The Development Budget Coordinating Council (DBCC) had earlier approved a meager P5-billion loan to pay for Napocor-owned power plants or those that are not connected to the grid. Madrona warned that ERC's failure to address issues that led the lengthy daily power interruptions could spill over to other small islands being serviced by small island power utilities groups. These include Palawan, Mindoro, Masbate, Romblon, and Catanduanes. “This man-made disaster is not only a source of inconvenience and irritation but will also adversely affect businesses especially tourism which is one of the main sources of livelihood in these island-provinces,” he stressed. House Resolution (HR) No.34, authored by Occidental Mindoro lone district Rep. Leody Tarriela, called for an investigation into the power problems of the island.