Senate panel ready to review NGCP franchise

MANILA, Philippines — Following the massive power outage that struck Panay Island and other parts of Western Visayas on Jan. 2, another Senate panel is ready to conduct a probe into the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP)’s franchise.

Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public services, said the investigation aims to determine whether the NGCP is fulfilling its obligations to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of affordable, stable and accessible electricity to the people of Panay.

“A review of the NGCP’s franchise is within the powers of Congress, to determine whether the grantee should shape up or ship out,” Poe said in a statement.

“For a franchise as critical as the operation and management of power transmission lines, there should be no room for inefficiency, mismanagement or blunders,” she added.

The Senate committee on energy chaired by Sen. Raffy Tulfo is set to conduct today an inquiry into the NGCP’s operations, as proposed by a resolution filed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

Tulfo’s committee will also probe the widespread blackout in Panay Island to identify the cause of the power outage and implement urgent and effective solutions.

Senators Risa Hontiveros, Francis Tolentino and Imee Marcos are also calling for a review of the NGCP franchise.

Hontiveros and Tolentino filed Senate Resolutions 890 and 894, respectively, to conduct an extensive investigation on the Panay power outage.

Tolentino also urged the Senate committee on energy to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the continuous power outages in Iloilo.

He called on the Department of Energy and NGCP to find a more sustainable solution to the energy supply in the region.

Tolentino said on Feb. 20, 2023, five provinces in Western Visayas – Guimaras, Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo – suffered a “system disturbance” that affected the entire Panay sub-grid.

Marcos questioned investing part of the Maharlika Fund in the NGCP, which she said does not need cash, but lacks performance.

Marcos filed Senate Resolution 832, the third measure seeking investigation on the power outage that hit Western Visayas.

House Deputy Minority leader France Castro said the power sector should be “nationalized” to prevent a repeat of the power outage that hit the island of Panay. — Sheila Crisostomo