Limited emergency powers

Voting 18-1 with one abstention, the House committee on energy, headed by Congressman Reynaldo Umali, approved the House Joint Resolution 21 which grants Aquino the authority to tap into the huge generators of commercial establishments under the Interruptible Load Program (ILP).

The measure was filed by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales Jr., Minority Leader Ronaldo Zamora, Deputy Speaker Henedina Abad, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, 1-Care party-list Rep. Edgardo Masongsong, and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

But it was limited in scope and valid only until July 31, 2015. It prohibits the President from buying or leasing power barges that is said to be too expensive or prone to corruption.

The joint resolution authorizes the President to tap more power under the ILP from private corporations.

Under the ILP, large private firms and establishments with large power loads, such as malls, are asked to operate their own generator sets during peak demand periods to augment capacity in the Luzon Grid, preventing a rotating brownout.

Businesses not registered under ILP may be manually deloaded from the grid when supply reaches critical levels, but they will not receive any compensation from government.

The ILP is hoped to lessen pressure on available power supply in March 2015 due to a higher demand in summer. The committee indicated a maximum projected supply shortfall of 1,004 megawatts (MW) during summer months of next year, of which 600 MW is needed to meet the immediate reserve while 404 MW is needed to meet the required contingency reserve.

The resolution authorizes the President to have access to the Malampaya funds to subsidize the cost of reimbursing ILP participants, but estimates only P200 million to be spent.

Senator Sergio Osmeña III, chairman of the Senate energy committee, was initially very reluctant to approve the measure, especially after officials from the Department of Energy (DOE) admitted before lawmakers that there will be “no actual power shortage” in Luzon during the hot months but only thin or zero reserves.

The committee feels that Luzon has sufficient reserves in the self-generating sets that private individuals or corporations own, noting that as much as 3,163 MW is owned by companies that use it as back-up power.

Congressman Umali has asked the President to certify the proposed joint resolution to allow the House to approve the resolution on second and third reading in one plenary session, or to meet the committee’s deadline of enacting the resolution before December.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares opposed the measure. He is asking the Congress not to rush in granting the executive’s request for additional authority, since the DOE cannot reconcile its figures on the projected supply shortage with that of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). Colmenares noted that granting emergency powers to the President would eventually result in a higher price of electricity.

P-Noy trips

President Aquino returned yesterday from Singapore. Last week he was in China and Myanmar.

There is no question that the President must attend international conferences like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

But we noticed his entourage is getting bigger. In his trip to China, his entourage totaled 173.

He is scheduled to go to South Korea in December. He can save a lot of money by trimming his entourage to about 50 persons.

We are not urging the President to stop all his foreign trips, but only lessen the number of trips and his entourage and concentrate more on local problems.

At the Economist dinner in Singapore, President Aquino reasserted that a President running for a second term will not make unpopular decisions.

Leyte vice mayor shot dead

Vice Mayor Claudio Larrazabal of Villaba town in Leyte was shot dead by two assailants outside his restaurant, Midpoint Resto-Bar.

The assailant and another lookout escaped on board a motorcycle.

Vice Mayor Larrazabal was dead on arrival at the Ormoc Sugarcane Planting Association (OSPA) Farmers Medical Center.

In Masbate, Barangay Captain Eric Sanay, 52, was shot dead as he left a cockpit in Mobo town.

Garin, Catapang criticized

Many persons, including Senator Tito Sotto have questioned the visit of acting Secretary of Health Janette Garin and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, General Gregorio Pio Catapang to Caballo Island without wearing protective suits.

Senator Sotto said the two should be quarantined. Garin explained that since none of peacekeepers have shown any Ebola symptoms, there was no danger to them.

But members of the families of the peacekeepers are complaining why they have not been allowed to meet their husbands or sons.

The Garin-Catapang visit, with photographers in tow, was clearly a photo-op.

The two officials set a bad example.

Former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the two officials should have worn protective gear.

The Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) also criticized Garin and Catapang.

Tidbits

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo said she is open to the possibility of running for senator.

Twenty-seven Catholic schools in Metro Manila suffered a three percent decline in enrollment.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (reports that 3,300 survivors were given livelihood assistance. Why only 3,300? Tacloban alone has a population of 240,000.