Marcos not keen on NGCP franchise withdrawal: ‘Good reason’ needed

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. | PHOTO: Presidential Communications Office Facebook page

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is not keen on revoking the franchise of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), saying there would be a “gap” in management experience if this would be done.

Marcos on Friday said there has to be a “good reason to withdraw” the franchise of NGCP because if this would be implemented, government would have to find another entity to manage the country’s grid system.

“Ang naririnig ko sa mga news items ay tungkol sa security problem. Siguro that’s part of the discussion, pero ang tinitignan ko rin ay ‘yung performance. Kung maganda ang kanilang performance at kung sumunod sila sa kontrata between the government and the grid corporation,” he said in an interview in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

(What I’m hearing from news items is about security problem. Maybe that’s part of the discussion, but I am looking at the performance. If their performance is good, and if they are following the contract between government and the grid corporation.)

He also said same problems may still persist even if the government would take over the NGCP operation.

The President also raised the possibility of having a “gap” in management experience if the corporation’s franchise is revoked.

“Kung tanggalin natin ang prangkisa, we will have to find somebody else to operate the grid so tatanggalin mo yung prangkisa, yung nandyan ngayon, tanggal silang lahat. Saan natin kukunin yung kapalit? We will have to find a way to absorb the others into it. Medyo magkakaroon tayo ng gap na walang management experience,” Marcos said.

(If we remove the franchise, we will have to find somebody else to operate the grid, so you would remove the franchise, the one existing now. They will all be removed. Where would we find the replacement? We will also have a gap in management experience.)

Marcos acknowledged security risk will always be present but said authorities are already looking into the issue.

He added NGCP has partnered with National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) in monitoring the safety and security of transmission assets.

In March, the two agencies signed a memorandum of agreement, where NICA committed to supply intelligence information to NGCP on the protection of its power transmission assets nationwide.

For its part, NGCP would provide technical assistance to NICA on cybersecurity.

Some senators have raised concern over the Chinese ownership of the NGCP, as 40% of its shares are being controlled by the State Grid Corporation of China.

Malacañang earlier said government is willing to “take back” control of NGCP if necessary.

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