2 power projects, bridges in Visayas gain support

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has promised to complete its projects, including two in the Visayas, in response to President Bongbong Marcos’ call for it to improve its transmission lines.

NGCP, said in a statement posted on its Facebook page on July 24, that among the priorities on its agenda were the swift completion of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP) and Stage 3 of the Cebu-Negros-Panay Interconnection Project (CNP).

Both projects had been partially energized.

In Negros Occidental and Iloilo City, local government officials remained hopeful that Marcos would go ahead with the plan to construct bridges that would connect the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros (PGN).

Marcos, in his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 24, said the PGN bridges spanning 32 kilometers were among the priorities of his administration.

The country’s top official cited the prioritization of physical connectivity under the country’s P8.3 trillion “Build, Better, More” program to further spur economic growth.

The infrastructure spending shall be about five to six percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“The underlying logic to our infrastructure development is economic efficiency. We are opening up all gateways to mobilize goods and services at less cost and in less time, and ultimately, to drive the economy,” Marcos said.

To expedite projects, NGCP called upon all local governments to extend essential support by promptly granting relevant permits and providing necessary assistance in addressing right-of-way issues that have hindered the smooth implementation of these projects.

NGCP pledged its commitment to Marcos’ 2023 energy initiatives, as expressed in his recent Sona.

“NGCP vows to concentrate all available resources toward the completion of ongoing transmission projects while expediting others in the pipeline,” it said.

Recognizing the importance of increasing the presence of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, NGCP will draw on its strategic partnership with the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).

Leveraging SGCC’s expertise in renewable energy integration, NGCP hopes to bolster its capabilities to hasten the transition to renewable and sustainable energy sources. The collaboration with SGCC allows NGCP to accommodate the increasing adoption of renewable energy technologies into the national grid.

NGCP also prioritized improving disaster resilience of the grid infrastructure. They vowed to intensify its ongoing and continuous upgrade of equipment and manpower, especially those that will prevent disruptions, or provide expedient repair, in case of natural disasters.

NGCP has been developing local talent by investing in world-class training and scholarships for aspiring Filipino engineers.

“We agree with the President’s sentiments. Even before the Sona, NGCP has already been working towards the vision that he mentioned,” said Anthony Almeda, NGCP’s President and chief executive officer.

“After hearing it straight from him–his vision that is completely aligned with ours–we know we are on the right track and we’re more motivated to complete all our objectives in a prompt manner,” he added.

The NGCP reiterated their call for what the President called a “cohesive, centralized, and systematic approach’ to planning, including that for energy for stability, resiliency, and independence.

“We echo the President’s observation that while national goals are all within reach, ‘this will require not just the work of a single person or a single branch of government nor even the whole government acting alone, but the collective efforts achieved only by all Filipinos working together,’” it said.

Meanwhile, officials of Negros Occidental and Iloilo City remained hopeful that President Marcos would go ahead with the government’s plan to construct bridges that would connect the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros (PGN).

“The construction of the PGN bridges will be good for Negros as well as (Guimaras and Negros),” Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.

Mayor Jerry Treñas thanked Marcos for not forgetting the proposed PGN bridges, which would create a big impact on the lives of Western Visayas folk in general.

“The Panay-Negros-Guimaras Bridge has long been a dream for us. With this coming to fruition, ease of transportation, dynamic movement of goods and services, and much enhanced economic and tourism activities are assured,” he said in a statement sent to the Inquirer on Tuesday.

Representatives Alfredo Marañon III of Negros Occidental’s 2nd district, Francisco Benitez of the third district, Emilio Bernardino Yulo of the 5th district, and Mercedes Alvarez of the 6th district, also lauded the President’s assurance that the PGN bridges were among his priorities.

Alvarez said the bridges’ construction was good news for Negros.

The PGN bridge project has been in the drawing board for more than 50 years. In 2022, the Department of Public Works and Highways announced that the Export-Import Bank of Korea approved a loan for $56.5 million to fund the project’s detailed engineering design (DED).

It remains unclear when the DED would start on the bridges.

Treñas said the PGN had been a dream especially for the people of Western Visayas.

“With this coming to fruition, ease of transportation, dynamic movement of goods and services, and much enhanced economic and tourism activities are assured,” he said.

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