Palace: Government works to ensure stable power
supply; asks for stakeholders’ cooperation
The government had said it is committed to
provide stable power supply for the country and asked the public, power
producers and distributors to work together to resolve the power shortage
especially in Mindanao.
“I think what is apparent here is that kailangan
talaga iyong tulung-tulong. Mas maraming maa-accomplish kung magtutulungan sila
both the users and the distributers, the generators,” Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a press
briefing in Malacanang Thursday.
“This is a systemic problem that requires a
systemic solution to be provided by all of the stakeholders.”
In a statement, Coloma reported that according
to the Department of Energy the current supply in Mindanao is 1,064 megawatts
compared to the peak demand estimated at 1,222 megawatts, which means a
shortfall of 158 megawatts.
This results to rotating brownouts at an average
of two to three hours, except in Maguindanao province that is currently
experiencing up to more than 10 hours of power interruption daily, he said.
To address this shortfall, the DOE and the power
industry are implementing several measures such as the use of embedded
generators by distribution utilities, adoption of the interruptible load
program involving the voluntary use of generator sets by consumers; continuing
repair and rehabilitation of the 210-megawatt STEAG coal-fired power plant in
Misamis Oriental; and the repair and rehabilitation of existing hydroelectric
power plants.
The Communications Secretary said the
rehabilitation of the 210-megawatt STEAG coal-fired power plant in Misamis
Oriental will be done from two to three months.
At the same time, Coloma said the government is
closely monitoring ongoing projects that will increase power supply in Mindanao
by up to 900 megawatts.
These new projects include the 200-megawatt
coal-fired plant of the Alsons’ group and the 300-megawatt Aboitiz-owned
coal-fired plant, which will both come online by 2015.
Another 400 megawatts coal-fired plant owned by
Filinvest will become operational in 2016, he said.
With the expected 500 (MW) in 2015, and 400 (MW)
in 2016, the additional energy of 900 (MW) will address the current need which
is around 1,200 (MW).
“The DOE continues to undertake reforms that
power sector including actively pursuing a 50/50 energy makes between
traditional and renewable energy with increased private sector investments in
hydroelectric, biomass, and solar power,” Coloma added. PND (as)
Negotiators to push country’s interest during
talks on increased US rotational presence
Ongoing talks on increased rotational presence
of American troops in the Philippines will be built on existing agreements and
the Philippines will ensure that its interest is protected, the Palace said on
Thursday.
“The current negotiations will build upon
existing agreements such as the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces
Agreement (VFA),” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary
Herminio Coloma Jr said.
“As these agreements have been in existence for
a number of years, both countries are aware of the challenges in
implementation. Hence, both panels will consider how to frame the proposed
agreement in such a way that those challenges will be addressed adequately,” he
added.
The Philippines had an issue over the
jurisdiction of US troops in the country particularly on the VFA.
But Coloma said the country should learn from
experience and will not allow a one-sided agreement that would favor the US.
The good thing is that negotiators are relying on the baseline—the existing
agreements and they are not starting from scratch.
“Hindi naman nanggaling sa tabula rasa o iyong
wala, may baseline. Kasama doon sa baseline na yon iyong actual experience in
implementation,” Coloma said.
“Doon sa actual na yon nagkaroon na ng mga hamon
sa implementation. Therefore, it is only proper na ang magkabilang panig, lalo
na tayo, ia-address natin kung ano yung mga naging challenges noon at hindi
dapat tayo pumayag namadedehado tayo.”
Philippine defense officials believe shoring up
US presence in the country will allow it to achieve a minimum credible defense
particularly with the aggressive posturing of China in the South China Sea
(West Philippine Sea). The two countries have completed five rounds of
negotiations since August. PND (as)
Administration remains relentless in
anti-corruption fight
The government vowed not to waver on carrying
out reforms at the local government level as well as in the police and the
military especially after the Office of the Ombudsman released a report about
the big number of corruption cases from these offices.
The Ombudsman said the leading government
agencies with a huge number of corruption cases include the Local Government
Units (LGUs), with more than 2,000 cases; Philippine National Police with some
1,000 cases, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines with 200 cases.
In a press briefing on Thursday, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said this figure
is not surprising considering the number of localities involve and the huge
number of individuals coming from the police and the military.
For instance, the country has 81 provinces with
around 100 chartered cities in addition to more than 1,600 municipalities. The
police and the military have approximately 125,000 members for each.
“By appreciating these figures, hindi rin naman
kagulat-gulat na doon mag-o-occur ‘yung mas maraming insidente kasi mas
maraming tao ang maaaring masangkot sa mga usapin,” Coloma noted.
“Pero ang pinakamahalaga diyan ay ‘yung aksyon
ng mga ahensya. Kaya nga isa sa mga haligi ng ating Philippine Development Plan
ay ang good governance.”
In the local government level, the
anti-corruption thrust continues, Coloma said, adding that during the
leadership of the late secretary Jesse Robredo of the interior and local
government, he tried to improve the quality of service of the LGUs.
Among Robredo’s challenge goals include the
grant of incentives to well-performing LGUs to entice them push reforms, he
said. Robredo also started the citizens’ charter that increases the
transparency of transactions down to the local government level.
“Lahat naman ng mga institusyon sa pamahalaan ay
ginagabayan ‘nung programa ng ating Pangulo na daang matuwid,” the Palace
official said.
“Kaya habang iniuulat na marami ang mga kasong
ganyan, kasabay naman diyan ‘yung patuloy na emphasis by the good governance
and reduction of corruption as one of the five pillars of the Philippine
Development Plan,” he added. PND (as)
