The country’s electric cooperatives (ECs) have been warned on tapping blacklisted contractors as this could delay critical projects, especially on executing subsidy-funded endeavors, according to the National Electrification Administration. Memorandum 2023-23 issued by NEA directed power utilities to instead “charge and impose liquidated damages against erring contractors for any and all delays incurred in the implementation of projects, pursuant to the provisions of their respective contracts with the contractors.” And to avoid enlistment of contractors with delinquencies, NEA similarly ordered ECs “to submit a list of blacklisted contractors” and to post the list in the NEA website. The agency emphasized "all blacklisted contractors are no longer eligible to bid for contracts in any and all electric cooperatives for a period of one (1) year, reckoned from the time of posting on the NEA website.” NEA will impose administrative sanctions against power utilities for failure to comply with the order. NEA further reminded ECs “to strictly adhere to the agency's issuances on the procurement activities for subsidy-funded projects,” including the prescription of  NEA Memorandum No. 2017-037, which sets compliance to a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and the implementing rules of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Law. As stated by NEA, the country’s electric cooperatives will need to intensify this year their efforts on electrifying 1,085 sitios on various parts of the country; and that shall be  in line with the State-underpinned Sitio Electrification Program. The funding to be funneled for the projects had been pegged at P1.627 billion – and that shall be utilized for the energization of at least 350 sitios in Luzon; 336 sitios in the Visayas grid; and P399 sitios in Mindanao. The Marcos administration is targeting to finally accomplish the country’s long elusive dream of energizing all sitios nationwide, a goal largely regarded as "unfinished business" in the past administrations. Many of the areas yet to gain access to electricity services are those in far-flung jurisdictions, which are also the most depressed areas in the country.