Rep. Janette Loreto-Garin of Iloilo.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines — Another lawmaker has called for an investigation into the power outage that affected the entire Panay Island and portions of Negros Island, as the impact on livelihoods and households have been severe.
Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin on Thursday said she will actively push for a probe into the power outage, saying that those responsible should be held accountable.
Garin said she intends to file a resolution at the proper time, as the “severe impact of the blackout on lives and economic activities” is “unacceptable.”
“Areas such as Guimaras Island, Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, and Capiz were among those affected by the power outage, adversely impacting the livelihoods of residents, particularly small business owners,” Garin said.
“Maraming nasirang ingredients ng ating MSMEs mga kainan. Mga isda ng mangingisda sira din. Parang hindi magandang pagsalubong sa taong 2024,” she added.
(A lot of our MSMEs involved in the food business lost their ingredients to spoilage. The catch of our fisherfolk were also affected. It’s not a good way to welcome 2024.)
Households in Panay Island were plunged into darkness on Tuesday after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines stated that multiple power plants shut down. In an advisory, NCGP initially said that power plants in Panay Island had shut down, but soon, the entire Negros-Panay grid went out.
NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza explained on Tuesday that 302 megawatts (MW) of power was lost to the Visayas grid due to the tripping of the plants, while 150 MW was lost because of planned maintenance shutdowns.
“Currently, none of the power plants in Panay Island are generating power. At 3:07 p.m., Panay Island was isolated from the rest of the Visayas grid,” Alabanza said.
Then, NGCP on Wednesday said that there should be better resource planning and a whole-of-industry approach to the country’s energy generation, to avoid such incidents.
NGCP also admitted that unscheduled maintenance shutdowns were the cause of the power interruption.
Garin said that the Department of Energy and NGCP should “promptly address and resolve the power outage situation in Western Visayas.”
READ: Panay blackout takes toll on locals, business
This is at least the third time that a House lawmaker called for a probe on the issue. On Wednesday, Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda said that the House of Representatives must exercise its oversight function and investigate the power outages.
READ: ‘No longer tolerable,’ Zubiri says Senate ready to probe power crisis
Then, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro also called for a probe, saying that while NGCP should be held accountable for the power outages that hit Panay Island, distribution company MORE Electric and Power Corporation is not yet off the hook over this incident.
READ: Massive power outage on Panay Island prompts Senate probe
Castro said that people of Panay Island and parts of the Negros Island are suffering because power players in the area failed to prepare for such a scenario.
READ: Blackouts in Panay: NGCP, MORE Electric both to blame, says solon
Senators have also asked for an investigation, with no less than Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressing dismay over the sorry state of power provision in the affected area.