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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tulfo slams energy task group on ‘slow actions’

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Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday blasted the slow actions of the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) Task Group to curb the country’s power outages and address other energy-related issues.

He asked if this council is working, saying that if they will base it on the last energy hearing, it would appear that the EVOSS “is not working.”

He also noted that task group members seem to have been pointing an accusing finger against each on the energy problems. The senator said the council was created to hasten the issuance of permits but said the task group should not just focus on permits.

“I hope that if there’s an energy problem, they should talk about it,” he said.

Tulfo also asked Energy officials whether the public will be expecting more red and yellow alert warnings this week after the forced outages at seven power plants, which caused the Luzon grid to declare a red alert last Monday.

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“Because when you [Department of Energy] issue red and yellow warning alerts, it really alarms the public, especially the businesses. “They have to be ready for the brownouts that may happen because these may affect their operations and of course, it may also affect the households as well. What is the status of your on-going monitoring?” Tulfo said.

Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan assured the Senate Committee on Energy that the department is conducting daily monitoring of the system operations of all its stakeholders in the power sector.

He said all power plants, particularly in Luzon, are being monitored on a daily basis. “Should there be instances like what happened last Sunday, the DOE is monitoring it more closely. If we need to call the power plant, we call them on the spot. We don’t wait for the report,” Marasigan said.

Meanwhile, Tulfo said he believes that the process and any deliberations on the matter would be expedited if they see face to face instead of just virtual.

He said it would easier and more problems would be resolved with face to face meetings,” he added.

Tulfo also urged the Department of Energy (DOE) to strengthen the EVOSS.

During  the hybrid hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy which he chairs, Tulfo stressed the need for a council that will coordinate and monitor each agency’s task.

He said this would  expedite energy-related processes and projects.

Tulfo initially proposed the creation of a separate inter-agency council that would coordinate agencies and expedite energy-related processes, but he later pushed for the strengthening of the EVOSS after DOE officer-in-charge Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan revealed that EVOSS has been in operation for years now.

He maintained there are so many energy-related concerns that could have been addressed had there been cooperation between and among all agencies from the energy sector.

One of these longstanding problems is the unpaid government subsidies of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) to power producers.

He said this threatens to worsen the persistent and recurring power outages in different parts of the country, including Palawan and Occidental Mindoro

Due to this, Tulfo asked Napocor to explain its unpaid Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UCME) fees to Delta P and Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corporation (OMCPC) amounting to roughly P441 million and 500 million, respectively.

Delta P and OMCPC conveyed their plans to shut down their operations amid rising global fuel prices and unpaid government subsidies.

“Where did the billions go?

Our concern is that this did not happen only In Occidental Mindoro or Palawan which are expecting payments or

receivables from you. How about in other places? I’m sure you owe billions of pesos to cooperqtives,” he said.

Napocor Officer-in-Charge Melchor Ridulme explained that among the reasons for their failure to pay government subsidies to power producers, like Delta P and OMCPS, is the spike in fuel price.

Given the current situation, Tulfo told Napocor and other energy-related agencies to work and find solutions together.

3rd Congressional District of Palawan Congressman Edward Hagedorn, who attended the hearing virtually, said he hopes that Tulfo can unite all energy-related agencies to improve the persistent and recurring brownouts not just in Palawan but in other places in the country.

Tulfo said he is used to pushing government workers, especially those who are slacking off, to work very hard and above standard by using harsh but encouraging words, which he believed to be the language that they understand.

He has consistently expressed concern about the longstanding and persistent power outages in different provinces which earlier said continues to threaten the country’s national security.

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