Congress to settle issue on power crisis

MANILA, Philippines - The Congress is yet to address some issues regarding the resolution that will grant President Benigno Aquino III to address the impending energy crisis in the country this summer.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday, House of Representatives Committee on Energy chairperson Rep. Reynaldo Umali said that the House has already prepared a draft of the resolution.

The Senate and House of Representatives have different takes on who should shoulder the cost of the interruptible load program (ILP).

"Senate wants it passed on, particularly the ILP cost... to the consumers although the House panel remained solid that the government should assume the cost for it," Umali said.

Under the ILP, big power users would be asked to use their own generation sets to lessen the demand from the power grid.

Big corporations such as Ayala Land Inc., Megaworld Corp., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Robinsons Land Corp. and SM Prime Holdings Inc. have already signed up for the ILP. The House of Representatives was the first government institution to join the said program.

READ: Gov't-owned companies expected to join Interruptible Load Program | House joins program vs power crisis

The lawmaker added that consumers should not be burdened by shouldering the cost of the ILP.

"If there was mismanagement along the way then it should be government and therefore it should be government who should bear the cost," Umali stressed.

The lawmaker noted that participating institutions in the ILP will only get paid for the power that they will be generating.

"The common and general understanding is that no [company] will benefit from this in terms of additional revenues. They don't earn, they don't lose," Umali explained.

Umali added that Sen. Serio "Serge" Osmeña III, who heads the Senate Committee on Energy, might be open for compromise regarding the said issue.

The time frame of the emergency powers granted to the President also differs with the Senate and House versions.

The House version stated that the Aquino's emergency powers would be effective from March to July this year but the Senate version extends it until the end of the President's term on June 2016.

The bicameral committee is set to meet on Monday to finalize the provisions that would grant special powers to Aquino.

"It's important that we pass this because this is what will make the process and the program very transparent for all stakeholders to understand," Umali said.

The Palace earlier said that the Department of Energy is prepared to addredd the energy crisis even though the President's special powers came late.

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