Emergency & Brownout Hotlines

National hotlines

Brownout safety

• ⚠️
  Fallen or sparking power lines

  Keep well back (at least 10 metres is a common guide) from fallen wires and anything touching them – treat them as live, especially in floodwater. Call your utility's hotline, or 911 if there is danger to life.

• 🏠
  Generators outside only

  Run gasoline or diesel generators well away from doors and windows – never inside the house or garage. Never back-feed your house wiring without a transfer switch. Carbon monoxide is invisible and deadly.

• 🕯️
  Emergency lights, not candles

  Candles and gas lamps cause many house fires during brownouts. Use rechargeable emergency lights or flashlights; if you must use a candle, put it in a stable holder away from curtains and never leave it unattended.

• ❄️
  Food safety

  Keep ref and freezer doors closed: an unopened ref keeps food cold for about 4 hours, a full freezer for about 48 hours (24 hours if half full). Food spoils faster in hot weather.

• 🔌
  Unplug appliances

  Unplug aircons, refs, TVs and computers to avoid damage from surges and voltage fluctuations when power returns. Leave one bulb switched on so you know.

• 🌡️
  Beat the heat

  Drink water, open windows for airflow, use a rechargeable fan and avoid strenuous work at midday. Check on babies, the elderly and the sick; call 911 in an emergency.

• 🌀
  Typhoons and floods

  Before a typhoon: charge power banks, store water, secure loose roofing. If floodwater rises, switch off the main breaker only if you can do it from a dry place – never touch electrical equipment while wet.

• 💊
  Medical devices

  If someone relies on oxygen, a nebulizer or other powered equipment, keep a charged power station or UPS and tell your utility and barangay in advance.

• 🚦
  Dark traffic lights

  Treat intersections with dark signals with great caution and follow traffic enforcers.

More: Brownout survival tips · Your rights during power interruptions · PAGASA weather bulletins

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