FILE PHOTO: Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto. Photo from Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said on Wednesday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should relaunch a better version of the energy conservation or “Enercon” campaign following the government’s P91 billion annual utilities and fuel bill.
The “Enercon campaign” was initially launched by the chief executive’s father and namesake, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in the 1970s.
Recto said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose two orders in 2004 successfully reduced electricity use in government offices, could provide Marcos Jr. with advice on how to carry out the vintage campaign.
“Dapat comprehensive (It must be comprehensive). A national framework of which a four-day work-week, as proposed by the Finance secretary, is but one component,” Recto said.
“For the people to support it, it should be framed as saving money and saving the Earth at the same time,” he added.
The House deputy speaker believes that “economics” and “environment” should drive the campaign.
Recto noted that the government paid P43.2 billion for power, gas, and water in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The congressman said the government also paid P47.5 billion in fuel, oil, and lubricant expenses that year.
“That’s about P90.7 billion in a year. Makatipid ka ng 10%, P9 billion na savings na, na pwedeng i-rechannel pambili ng gamot sa mga ospital,” Recto said.
(That’s about P90.7 billion in a year. You can save 10%, P9 billion in savings, which can be rechanneled to buy medicine in hospitals.)
“Kung walang pagtitipid, sisipa ‘yan ng mahigit P100 billion kada taon,” he added.
(If there is no savings, that will cost more than P100 billion per year.)
Recto, however, argued that to protect crucial services, the Enercon campaign’s parameters should be properly set forth by a Palace order.
“You don’t cut back on police and military patrols. Pero ‘yung sistema na gas coupons na kahit pribado na sasakyan pwedeng makakuha, itigil na. Ambulance runs should be exempt. As to hospitals, walang bawas, kasi essential ‘yan,” he said.
(You don’t cut back on police and military patrols. But the gas coupon system that even private cars can get should be stopped. Ambulance runs should be exempt. As for hospitals, there is no deduction because that is essential.)
“Paano naman ‘yung joke na magkakaroon ng thermostat police sa mga opisina? Pwede, kasi you don’t need Arctic temperature to work efficiently,” Recto said.
(What about the joke that there will be thermostat police in the offices? It’s possible because you don’t need Arctic temperature to work efficiently.)
President Marcos, said Recto, should relaunch the drive before the summer sets in when there is an increase in air-conditioner use, low water levels in hydroelectric dams, and distribution lines trip-offs caused by high heat index, which may cause blackouts.
“But the main price driver is that coal, which accounts for 58 % of generating capacity, is getting expensive, and this cascades down to higher meter charges,” Recto said.
“Year-on-year, halos 15% ang itinaas ng presyo ng electricity, gas at fuel,” he said.
(Year-on-year, the prices of electricity, gas, and fuel, increase by almost 15 percent.) —Meralyn Melitante, Inquirer.net trainee
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