Tulfo seeks review of privatizing electric cooperatives

MANILA, Philippines — Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of privatizing electric cooperatives, Senator Raffy Tulfo urged on Friday amid persisting power outages in parts of the country.

Tulfo raised his call for review during the Senate finance subcommittee hearing on the budgets of the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, and the National Electrification Administration.

“Again, I’m not saying I’m 100 percent agreeable d’un sa ipa-privatize natin itong mga (in privatizing) electric cooperatives.

READ: TRO sought to stop Albay power co-op privatization

“Ang sinasabi ko pag-aralan. Tignan kung ano ‘yung pros and cons, kung mas makabubuti ba na i-privatize or stay put na lang tayo sa kumbaga kung ano ‘yung meron tayo ngayon,” the neophyte senator said.

(What I’m saying is study it. Look at the pros and cons: will it be better if it will be privatized or let us just stay put to what we have now.)

Tulfo, chair of the Senate panel on energy, pointed out that if electric cooperatives do not have funds or capabilities to operate, they should just be sold and privatized.

He then pushed the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to perform its duties for the convenience of consumers.

“Dapat ipaglaban niyo po ‘yung ating mga consumer. Gawin niyo po ‘yung trabaho ninyo (Fight for our consumers. Do your jobs). Just don’t sit on your a**, I’m sorry for the word. Do something. The consumers are sick and tired of being sick and tired dito po sa mga brownout na nangyari (with these brownouts),” he said.

Tulfo earlier filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the endless power outages and soaring electricity costs in the country.

READ: Tulfo seeks probe into endless power outages, rising electricity costs

—With reports from Alyssa Joy Quevedo, trainee

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