With the official campaign period set to begin next week, the Department of Energy (DOE) has activated the Energy Task Force Election (ETFE) to ensure energy resiliency during the 2025 mid-term elections.

Operating in close coordination with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Department of National Defense (DND), the Task Force plays a critical role in safeguarding the integrity and smooth conduct of the elections through strategic energy sector preparedness before, during, and after the electoral process.
In a recent meeting of the ETFE, Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella directed the Task Force to ensure a stable and reliable power supply and sufficient fuel supply throughout the electoral period. Undersecretary Fuentebella, who concurrently chairs the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER), emphasized the importance of contingency measures for any given scenario, including disruptions arising from natural disasters.
"Ensuring uninterrupted power during elections is crucial to upholding the integrity of the electoral process and maintaining public confidence. By prioritizing energy resiliency, the Energy Task Force Election plays a vital role in guaranteeing smooth and credible elections, free from power-related disruptions," said TFER Chair and Undersecretary Fuentebella.
To maintain vigilance, the Task Force will remain on standby throughout the election period, operating a centralized energy command hub to monitor and address potential power issues in real-time. This will ensure seamless coordination and swift response to any energy-related challenges that may arise.

Additionally, the Task Force members will implement proactive measures to ensure full readiness. These efforts include comprehensive inspections of key facilities and canvassing centers to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
To strengthen preparedness, the Task Force is also coordinating closely with distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, aligning efforts to ensure a swift and effective response. Key measures include securing reliable backup power sources, replacing outdated electrical components such as fuse boxes and outlets, addressing transformer loads to prevent disruptions, and reinforcing uninterruptible power supply systems for servers to ensure seamless operations during any power fluctuations.
Further enhancing its preparations, the DOE is collaborating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure the availability of critical backup resources, including generator sets and emergency lamps, at key locations nationwide.
“Safeguarding the energy needs of the country during the critical electoral process is our foremost concern and we have enlisted the full cooperation of all our stakeholders in the generation, transmission and distribution sectors in this endeavor to ensure that there would be enough power in days leading up to, during and in the immediate conduct of the elections,” said Undersecretary Fuentebella. ###