TUCP urges Petilla to hold dialogue on power problem

MANILA, Philippines - The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Monday called on Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla to hold consultations with stakeholders and immediately establish policies and plans to address the looming power crisis.

The TUCP made the call after President Benigno Aquino III, during his 5th State of the Nation Address, instructed Petilla to schedule time-bound consultations.

Without the consultation, the TUCP said that various businessmen are taking advantage of the current power situation by offering expensive sources of electricity.

“Power policy is de facto being set by the independent power generation sector and Meralco. They are now taking advantage of the absolute lack of leadership of Petilla as one group is peddling very expensive solar, another trying to lease power barges to the government and Meralco is shuffling around maintenance schedules to prevent the crisis,” TUCP executive director Louie Corral said.

TUCP has also appealed to Aquino to convene a multi-agency, multi-sectoral committee to draw up a consensus on what policy the government should implement on power security and competitive rates.

“Only the president can restore investor and consumer confidence. Petilla preens with confidence but his explanation sounds curiously fraudulent," Corral said.

Corral said the current power situation is not just about the power deficit, but also of the country's power rates as among the highest in the world.

“Our sky high power rates have made us regionally uncompetitive in the ASEAN (Association of the Southeast Asian Nation), and now we have all these salesmen of expensive power lobbying on the respective merits of their products," he added.