DOE chief warned against costly solutions to power shortage

MANILA, Philippines - Amid the power crisis, several businessmen are now rushing to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jericho Petilla to offer expensive power shortage solutions, labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines revealed on Thursday.

TUCP Executive Director Louie Corral said they have received information suggesting that Petilla is being swarmed by some interest groups to offer to President Aquino power solutions that will make people pay more for their electricity.

"We support emergency powers for the President, but it must be based on clear policies of what constitutes “secure power” and what government means as “competitive power rates.” The DOE secretary is now on shifting sands, first he wants to buy generator sets, now, he says he wants to commercially rent power barges for three years which will run only for 20 days. Which is which? How much is Juan dela cruz paying? What is the game plan?” Corral said.

Corral also warned Petilla to be cautious of vested interests in handling the proposed emergency powers to address the looming energy crisis.

“The TUCP warns that the power emergency of Icot Petilla is now opening doors for salesmen, opportunists and pirates of all stripes peddling very expensive power solutions that will preserve the prerogatives of the private independent generation sector who seemingly willed the power shortage to existence,” he added.

He said Petilla should refrain from scaremongering and giving the president a deadline but rather ensure that consultations are transparent and the policies that are arrived at must be acceptable to all stakeholders.

“Maraming aninong gumagalaw at maraming bumubulong na pagkakitaan ang krisis na ito. Kung kaya’t pinag-iingat namin ang butihing kalihim,” he said. 

Meanwhile, TUCP Spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the TUCP is prepared to join the process now directed by Aquino to help solve the problem.

“If Secretary Petilla does not make the consultation transparent and time-bound, we will not just have a failure but a failure of governance. The economic legacy of the Aquino administration is what's at stake. In bearing the ultimate command responsibility, he must look at a full-options approach to solving the problem rather than just the narrow suggestions being eagerly whispered to his ears,” Tanjusay said.

Tanjusay added that TUCP was the first group to ask Aquino to declare a national emergency on the power sector in April this year. 

He said they asked for Aquino to establish a presidential task force to address the problem of lack of power and the spiraling power rates.

The TUCP is also proposing for the government to return to power generation business until there is at least a 20-percent reserve in all island grids.