Electric power is a vital barometer of a country’s economic progress.

This is depicted by aerial photos of the Korean peninsula taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, first in 2014, then a decade later. According to one account: “It showed South Korea and China bathed by nighttime light while North Korea was largely dark.” A decade later, notes the same source, North Korea seems to be getting brighter at night; “It is a far cry from South Korea’s enormous glow, but indicates that there are areas in North Korea with more access to electricity than before.”

Such insight came to the fore as I leafed through the pages of a newly released book on Everything You Wanted To Know About the Philippine Electric Industry: 24 Years After EPIRA, jointly authored by Fernando Martin Y. Roxas and Pablo B. Anido.

Nani Roxas is a long-time friend. We are fellow MBA graduates of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), and were colleagues, too, in the AIM faculty where he served as executive director of the Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism before he accepted appointment as president of the National Power Corporation (Napocor). He joined Napocor as a geologist in 1978 and rose to the position of strategic planning unit head that gave him the opportunity to be involved in overseeing key initiatives in the power industry. He also holds a master’s degree in geology from the Asian Institute of Technology, and a doctorate in business administration from De La Salle University (DLSU).

Like Nani, Lito Ando also began his career at Napocor, as an associate mechanical design engineer after graduating from the University of Santo Tomas with a mechanical engineering degree; he obtained a master’s in business administration degree from DLSU. He has extensive experience in implementing the structural reforms heralded by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). He was also involved in the Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management (PSALM) team that pioneered trading operations for the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

Indeed, the two co-authors’ combined knowledge and expertise on the evolution and development of the power industry provide them broad-gauged perspectives, that cascade into granular familiarity with its multifaceted intricacies.

At 187 pages, their book is slim yet substantial. Part I depicts the Pre-EPIRA Era. Part II focuses on New Elements in the Philippine Power Industry (PPI). Part III beams the spotlight on The Distribution Sector, made up of distribution utilities (DUs) and electric cooperatives (ECs). Part IV describes the dynamics of Buying and Selling Retail Electricity, including dealing with customers, competitors, and the government, as well as the marketing mix of a retail electricity supplier (RES); strategic product marketing, and what to look for in a supply agreement. Finally, Part V on The Industry Now and in the Future reflects the authors’ perspectives on current trends that will shape the power industry’s future, and their insights on influencing the electric power industry and our future.

Importantly, this book has been reviewed and endorsed by two pillars of the Philippine electric power industry: Francisco ‘Sonny’ Viray and Raphael Perpetuo ‘Popo’ Lotilla.

Viray served as Napocor president in 1993 and subsequently as Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary when it was revived by President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994. It was during his watch that the country experienced the resolution of the power crisis brought on by the shortfall in supply. The 620-megawatt Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), that was a project of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. was not operated by the government of President Corazon Aquino on account of serious concerns on the integrity of the contract entered into by her predecessor’s regime with the US firm Westinghouse, builder and supplier of the nuclear reactor.

Secretary Lotilla, who was appointed recently by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., also served as DOE secretary under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Observes Lotilla: “This book provides an accessible yet comprehensive chronicle of the Philippine electric power sector — its humble beginnings, difficult transitions, and the continual process of reform and reinvention. It offers readers a valuable retrospective while encouraging thoughtful engagement with the sector’s possible futures…this book is essential reading.”

The Philippine electric power industry stands at a crucial juncture. While liberalization through EPIRA two decades ago introduced private participation and unbundled services, persistent challenges remain—high electricity costs, thin reserves, and inadequate infrastructure. These issues threaten both energy security and the country’s economic competitiveness.

Reform imperatives must begin with accelerating transmission development. The delay in key projects, especially the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), highlights the need for stronger regulatory enforcement and streamlined permitting. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) must be held accountable to ensure timely and transparent delivery of projects vital to grid reliability and renewable energy integration.

Equally important is enhancing generation capacity through a more competitive and technology-neutral energy mix. Regulatory clarity is essential to attract investments in renewables and flexible generation. This is as the grid shifts from baseload to variable sources.

Finally, the government must fully operationalize the Independent Market Operator and improve long-term planning via the DOE’s Philippine Energy Plan. Reform must align with decarbonization goals while ensuring energy access and affordability.

A modern, resilient power sector is both a social and economic reform imperative that deserves priority focus by government and industry policymakers.

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