Manila, Oct. 14 -- Officials of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) on Tuesday underscored the need to secure power supply ahead of a very strong El Nino event, citing strengthened coordination with the government and customers to address potential issues.

In a briefing on Tuesday, Meralco vice president and corporate communications head Joe Zaldarriaga said the dry spell is expected to drive up demand, which will also impact electricity prices.

"There are factors beyond our control. If the demand for energy is too high, as we saw during previous summer months, there is pressure for prices to go up, specifically in the wholesale electricity spot market. That is why it's very important for us at Meralco to secure the best supply or sourcin...