‘Nakakagalit at nakakalungot’: Poe rues recurring outages in Visayas

FILE PHOTO: Senator Grace Poe. Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe on Friday lashed out at the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for the cyclical electricity interruptions in Panay and Negros islands, demanding urgent action from the privately-owned firm.

“Talagang nakakagalit at nakakalungkot itong nangyayari (It’s really upsetting and sad that this is happening),” Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public services, said in a statement.

“Maraming isyu ang NGCP. Hindi lamang ang kanilang serbisyo kundi pati pagmamay-ari at pamamalakad niyan. Kailangan ayusin ‘yan ng NGCP,” Poe said.”

(NGCP has many issues. Not only their service but also their ownership and management. The NGCP needs to fix that.)

Poe said the NGCP should investigate energy grid breakdowns that disrupt power distribution utilities’ (DUs) services. The DUs say the NGCP caused the issue.

READ: Malacañang, energy execs pressed for answers amid nationwide power interruptions

The senator also decried outage-related economic losses, notably in tourism and business.

“Sa panahong ito, pa’no mabubuhay ang turismo at negosyo sa Iloilo at Panay Island kung patay-sindi ang kuryente?” Poe said.

(At this time, how can tourism and business survive in Iloilo and Panay Island if the electricity is unstable?)

“Napakainit ngayon para mawalan ng kuryente. At saka ang Iloilo pa naman napakaganda ng improvements. Marami nang pumupunta dyan na mga turista.

(The weather is too hot now to lose electricity. Besides, the improvements in Iloilo are very good. Many tourists already go there.)

READ: Frequent outages seen in the Visayas

Poe further noted the impact power interruptions to students and farmers.

“Hindi naman pwede na ganyan ang serbisyo ng kuryente. Nakakaapekto rin ito sa mga estudyante dahil mahirap mag-aral kung para kang nasa loob ng pugon. Sa ating mga magsasaka naman, pa’no aandar ang mga mekanismo nila sa bukid kung walang kuryente? Malaking perwisyo talaga ito,” she continued.

(Electricity service can’t be like that. It also affects students because it’s hard to study if you feel like you’re inside a furnace. As for our farmers, how will their farm machinery work if there is no electricity? This is really a big inconvenience.)

Poe recently filed Senate Resolution No. 579 calling for an inquiry into the power service disruptions in the Panay Island.

READ: Rotational brownouts in Cebu possible: Visayas grid on red alert

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