By PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA — President Benigno Aquino III urged Congress to enact a joint resolution that will permit him to use emergency powers to fill the projected power deficit in the country.
“There is no gainsaying that the imminent electric power shortage is a real threat to the country’s growing economy and the general welfare of the people,” said Aquino in a letter dated Sept. 12 and addressed to Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
The joint resolution will ensure our energy requirements “during the limited period of time of very tight energy supply,” the President said.
Luzon will experience a “critical electricity situation” by summer of 2015, Aquino said, citing a report by the Department of Energy.
He said the looming energy crisis will be due to El Niño, next year’s Malampaya turnaround and power generation outages.
Drilon said it is impossible for the Senate to approve the proposed joint resolution this month.
“We don’t even have the draft resolution. We don’t know the parameters of the authority being requested,” he said.
While the senators understand the urgency of the measure, they “cannot rush” the enactment, according to the llonggo Senate president.
“I think the committee on energy chaired by Senator (Sergio) Osmeña (III) will meet on Wednesday next week. Given all the complicated issues … we will work on this,” he said.
For his part, Sen. Francis Escudero yesterday said he favors granting Aquino emergency powers but wanted to know its costs.
“What is the burden of this to the consumers? Will it entail additional costs to us? If it’s through the electric bill of consumers, then the government should tell them in advance,” said Escudero, finance committee chair.
Once the resolution is enacted, the President will be authorized to “enter into purchase agreements with private power producers,” Escudero said./PN
