Noy rejects energy chief’s resignation

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has rejected Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla’s offer to resign, which the latter had promised to do if electricity was not fully restored by Christmas Eve in towns ravaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

“No intention of accepting,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said yesterday, referring to Petilla’s resignation offer. Lacierda said Petilla had not yet discussed the matter with President Aquino.

“First, he has not submitted yet (his resignation letter). And second, let’s wait for the conversation to take place between him and the President,” Lacierda said.

Petilla took over the helm of the Department of Energy in October 2012 following the designation of his predecessor Jose Rene Almendras as secretary to the Cabinet.

Lacierda said Petilla planned to submit his resignation letter to the President today.

“I will have no word of honor if I stay on and in public service, word of honor is extremely important,” Petilla said, explaining his resignation offer. He did not say if his resignation was irrevocable.

“I’m drafting my resignation letter now although I’m still monitoring the restoration (of power) in the three towns,” he said, adding he wanted to give the President enough time to find his replacement.

“We tried energizing them last night without success. We are still trying now,” Petilla said in a text message, referring to the three towns.

It was not clear which towns he was referring to but sources said they are located in Samar. Sources said power was restored in the three towns in the morning of Dec. 24 but it later fluctuated and has since been unstable.

The last five problematic towns are Giporlos, Lawaan, Guiuan, Balangiga and Quinapondan in Samar.

On Tuesday morning, Petilla said the last five affected towns were connected to the grid but he found out in the evening that this was not the case.

He earlier said that failure to restore electricity in even just one town would be enough reason for him to resign.

Other ranking energy officials claimed they were unaware of Petilla’s move as of press time.

Lacierda, for his part, said in a briefing that Petilla had informed him of his plan to tender his resignation.

In the days leading to Petilla’s self-imposed Dec. 24 deadline, the energy chief said he felt he would be able to keep his job but expressed apprehension that some towns had not yet been energized.

On Dec. 19, he reiterated his offer to resign in the event of failure to meet his deadline.

At the ceremonial switch-on in Palo, Leyte on Dec. 18, Petilla appealed to Task Force Kapatid, a group led by the National Electrification Administration (NEA), to help electric cooperatives rehabilitate their systems.

“I thank you for all your sacrifices. You, the Task Force Kapatid members, are the real heroes, not me. What we are bringing back is not the mere electricity but the hope of people to live their normal lives again,” he said in a speech.

“While there were no relief goods coming, there were more dead bodies found, the simple erection of poles gives a feeling of hope for the people in the area who dream of a brighter future,” he said.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s transmission highway operator, said yesterday that the repairs of damaged transmission lines were almost complete.

The NEA, the government agency tasked to oversee the operations of electric cooperatives, announced calamity loans are available to affected cooperatives. To date, P411 million had been released to 20 cooperatives, said NEA administrator Edita Bueno.