Critical data needed to implement ILP smoothly

MANILA, Philippines — CitizenWatch, a consumer group, urged government agencies to immediately comply with the call of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (JCOC) on Energy to submit all necessary data and information available to implement the so-called Interruptible Load Program (ILP) smoothly and efficiently.

Lawyer Tim Abejo, co-convenor of CitizenWatch, said government agencies need to show a sense of urgency in providing data critical to the implementation of the ILP.

The ILP is a program wherein big power users with their own self-generating capacities would be asked to use their own power to ease demand from the grid.

 Abejo said the members of the JCOC need pertinent data and information for them to come up with a reasonable decision on whether to pass on the additional charge to consumers or not.

He agrees with the position of Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House committee on energy that there is a need convene all the pertinent government agencies so that reliable data would be available aid to the legislators and break the ongoing deadlock in the bi-cameral sessions. 

He warned that brownouts are not far from happening, noting that in some areas notice of brownout schedules had been given out to consumers.

On the other hand, the group’s secretary-general Wilford Wong, said the group is supporting the House version wherein the additional costs of the ILP will be charged to the Malampaya fund.

 “The power shortage is not the fault of the consumers and any additional costs should not be passed on to the already high price of electricity,” he said.

The group is also pushing for a close monitoring of power plants.

 This project aims to monitor the power situation and unscheduled shutdowns of power plants that might trigger spikes in the price of electricity.