Rufus: Give Arroyo emergency powers
and BONG FABE, Contributor
THE government will seriously consider the motion of Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez for President Arroyo to declare Mindanao under the state of power crisis and convene Congress in a special session to address the looming power shortage on the island.
During a House committee on energy hearing last week, Rodriguez crossed party lines by calling congress to give President Arroyo emergency powers to avert the disaster that maybe brought about by the power crisis. Rea More
Under a state of emergency, Rodriguez said the government through the National Power Corp. (Napocor) could enter into power supply contracts with private entities for additional supply.
“Upon the determination by the President of the Philippines of an imminent shortage of the supply of electricity, Congress may authorize, through a joint resolution, the establishment of additional generating capacity under such terms and conditions as it may approve,” Section 71 of the Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 states.
Rodriguez told BusinessWeek Mindanao that an emergency situation would also allow “the government to enter into bilateral contracts with private corporations who have excess capacity and embedded capacity which could be contracted to supply additional power.”
“We have actual shortage since last year which has been aggravated due to the dry season we are experiencing,” he said
“What had been presented to us was a solution for the May 10 elections when there would be a shortfall of 4 megaWatts [mW] of power for the island of Mindanao. But after Election Day, what would be in store for us?” Rodriguez asked.
“So what happens to the development of Mindanao [with the power shortfall]?...It is for this reason that I move that Congress hold a special session to grant the President emergency powers for the sole purpose of addressing the energy crisis in Mindanao. We’re going to ask Malacañang to declare a state of emergency and call for a special session,” he said.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Thursday confirmed the Visayas and Mindanao power grids remain in a precarious state and will continue to have reserve deficits, meaning they not only will not have enough supply for continuous distribution of power but will also lack the required power reserve intended to meet emergency shortages.
But while taking note of Rodriguez’s motion, House committee on energy chairman, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, said the panel action would be dependent on the report to be submitted by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes on the next committee hearing scheduled on March 1.
Reyes convened power industry stakeholders last week in the Visayas and Mindanao regions to assess the worsening scenario and lure big industries to utilize their own embedded generations and share extra loads.
“That complicated, having a special session to grant the President emergency powers. Maybe it could be considered as a last resort, and if there is no more solution left,” said Arroyo.
Rodriguez’ proposal surprisingly gained strong support and admiration from his colleagues in Congress, both opposition and administration congressmen.
Militant solon, Anakpawis party-list Rep. Joel Maglungsod vowed to back Rodriguez’s motion.
“Although it is my conviction that the nationalization of the power industry is the solution to our energy problem, I believe that granting the President emergency powers to solve Mindanao’s energy concern on a short-term basis is justified,” said Maglungsod.
Ilocos Norte Rep. Roquito Ablan, an administration stalwart, expressed surprise at Rodriguez’s motion but at the same time, lauded the opposition congressman for his move.
“I’m proud of you (Rodriguez) because you are from the opposition and you want a state of emergency (for that purpose).”
Arroyo also praised Rodriguez as he reminded his colleagues that as lawmakers, they represent their constituents and not their political parties.
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said the power crisis is real and not part of a scenario-building ploy of the administration to disrupt the May elections.
“There’s nothing political about the power shortage situation – it’s a real problem,” Reyes told journalists after meeting with local leaders on Wednesday to discuss ways to address the crisis.
He said critics of the Arroyo administration should help find ways to end the crisis and not politicize the issue.
“We have to separate politics here because this problem is a very serious one,” Reyes said.
According to Rodriguez, if the President declares a power crisis in Mindanao, Congress through a joint resolution may empower the NPC and NGCP to enter into contracts with independent power producers (IPPs) to require them to generate additional power.
He said that with the declaration, NGCP can enter into contract with the Iligan Power, which has an embedded (reserve) generating capacity of 30 megawatt. He also mentioned another independent power producer which has an embedded power capacity of 20 MW.
“If the NGCP can tap their power, that would be 50 MW of power that can help our people in Mindanao,” he said.
Rodriguez proposed that when the President declares a state of power crisis in Mindanao, NGCP should immediately conduct a public hearing involving all IPPs in the island and different sectors of society.
“We should institute safeguards such as the contract should be transparent by making it public such as publishing its contents in newspapers and announcing it on the radio and television,” he said.
“We in Mindanao are not in an imminent shortage of electricity supply. We are now in a state of actual electricity shortage,” he stressed, emphasizing the word “actual,” Rodriguez said.
He said that according to NGCP, three-fourths (3/4) of the island is now experiencing from four-to-six (4-6) hours of blackouts daily because of “zero reserve in the NGCP power generating plants.”
“I just came from Surigao. When I arrived there was blackout until I returned to Manila. People there told me that they are experiencing an 8-hour blackout daily. And not only in Surigao but also in the Agusan provinces,” he said.
“In the Zamboanga Peninsula, people there are enduring four-to-six hours of blackouts,” he added.
“This is bad for us in Mindanao; bad for our business; and most especially bad for our elections,” he stressed.
Rodriguez also said that based on what NGCP officials told him, the power deficiency of Mindanao is now 144 megawatt.
“We are asking for this emergency situation because if there will be brownouts in Mindanao by May there could be a failure of elections,” Rodriguez said.
“Even if the election machines have UPS (uninterrupted power supply), if the classrooms are without light, then that will be a problem,” Mr. Rodriguez added.
The country will hold its first automated elections on May 10 and fears have been raised that the lack of power may endanger the whole exercise.
Meanwhile, Malacanañg has proposed the construction of additional power generating facilities in Mindanao to solve the power crisis now being felt by major cities in the island.
Presidential Deputy Spokesman Gary Olivar said the private sector should take the lead in initiating this long-term solution to the power crisis that has hampered business and trade in some parts of the country, especially in the southern Philippines.
Olivar said Malacanañg is encouraging foreign investors to invest in the power sector in the country.
He said government is offering incentives and its assistance to would-be investors who would like to construct a new power generating facility in the country especially in Mindanao.
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