DOE: There will be enough power for barangay polls

NGCP PHOTO

Even though the results of the upcoming barangay elections will be counted manually, the Department of Energy (DOE) assured the public that electricity supply would be enough on polling day on May 14.

“We have enough energy supply for the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections,” DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a statement on Sunday.

Cusi held a meeting with the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER), National Security Council, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard to discuss contingency plans on Election Day.

TFER consists of DOE, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, National Transmission Commission, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, Philippine National Oil Company, and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation.

DOE said that it would attend the Commission on Election’s (Comelec) command conference on Monday, saying that it planned to create an Energy Task Force through a department circular, to ensure “adequate and reliable” energy on May 14.

DOE Undersecretary Jesus Posadas said energy supply, coupled with a coordination between concerned government agencies, was critical for successful elections.

“As this is a national concern, the DOE, together with the members of the Task Force on Energy Resiliency, fully supports the Duterte Administration in achieving its goal to hold free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections,” Posadas said. /cbb