Razon-led water unit on Boracay Island has transitioned into the Retail Aggregation Program (RAP), making it the first to do so with Retail Electricity Supplier (RES) PrimeRES Energy Corp. 

Boracay Water, under the Manila Water Non-East Zone (NEZ) unit, has undergone RAP, a program of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) which allows small power consumers, such as the island, to select their energy sources.

Under the RAP initiative, consumers may select various sources such as including renewable energy (RE), fossil-based, or hybrid; Boracay Water’s aggregation would also allow them to negotiate supply terms, tariffs, and contract durations. 

According to Razon-led MORE Power, Boracay Water has aggregated 11 facilities, including its water treatment plants, pumping stations, wastewater treatment facilities, and lift stations—all of which have a total peak demand of 749 kilowatts (kW).

Based on the RAP program, customers with a minimum of 500 kW demand may be considered for a contestable market.

Melvin John Tan, Manila Water Philippine Ventures chief operating officer, shared that this marks a significant milestone for the company, as it follows the lead of Manila Water Co., Laguna Water, and Laguna Aquatech when they switched into retail aggregation earlier this year.

“Boracay Water, together with Akelco and PrimeRES, becomes the first and only RAP-switched entity in the Visayas. We celebrate this not only as a pioneering achievement but as an opportunity to educate and inspire others. Our message is simple—if we can do it, others can too,” he said.

ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta added that this is a landmark for the commission’s energy initiatives.

“After just a few months of RAP being piloted in various sectors, we’re thrilled to see it reach the Visayas through Boracay Water’s initiative. This is a landmark moment for energy democracy in the Philippines,” she said.

“As Boracay Water begins to realize cost savings, we hope more institutions across the country will be inspired to follow suit,” Dimalanta added.

Aside from the ERC, the ceremonial switching was joined by the President of the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP), chief executive officer of PrimRES Roel Z. Castro, as well as the general manager of Boracay Water, Bryan Magallanes, and representatives of Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) and the Malay Local Government Unit.