Latest Palace protocols

It’s official. Rainy season is with us again. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced last Friday that the required volume of rain in select climate stations had been reached, enough for them to conclude the end of summer season here in our country. This was largely due to the continuous rains brought in by tropical storm “Domeng” – the fourth typhoon this year that is projected to exit the Philippines today.

The end of the dry season and the rainy months ahead of us are both boon and bane to the power outlook in our country.

This is especially true when destructive typhoons cut off the transmission lines with strong winds and cause landslides that can topple power towers. 

Days before Pagasa declared the onset of rainy season, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised the “yellow” alert at the Luzon grid, citing the unexpected shutdown and limited generation of some power plants as well as high demand. A “yellow” alert means there were not enough reserves to cover the largest running generating unit at the time, but does not necessarily lead to power outages.

But such power interruptions may get lessened, if not totally avoided, with the additional reserves at the Luzon grid that went on stream starting last week. This was after President Rodrigo Duterte inaugurated the newly completed 420-megawatt (MW) Pagbilao Unit 3 power project in Quezon Province. The latest based-load, coal-fired generating facility and merchant power plant are expected to boost and stabilize energy supply in the Luzon grid.

Operated by the Pagbilao Energy Corp. (PEC), this power plant is a joint venture of the Aboitiz Group’s Therma Power Inc.  and Japan’s Team Energy Corp.(TEC). The newly-built power facility was developed and constructed at a cost of $976 million. Construction began in December 2014. It is located within the same complex, and is adjacent to the existing units 1 and 2, of the Pagbilao Power Station operated by TEC bringing total generating capacity to 735-MW.  

President Duterte was profuse in his gratitude to the Aboitiz family who he cited has been a close supporter even during his stint as Mayor of Davao City. “You should thank the Aboitiz for setting up this equipment because you can run all your machines or whatever you have. Lahat, pati yung ilaw niyo sa bukid,” the President told his audience.

“This new facility will provide 420 (megawatts). It will brighten all of Quezon and even the NPA (New People’s Army) magkaroon ng ilaw ang mga buang. Why don’t you just come down and let us talk. You’re wasting our time, mag-usap na lang tayo,” the President issued this appeal directed at armed insurgents. The province of Quezon is a known hotbed of NPA rebels.

In his return trip back to the country after his three-day state visit to South Korea last week, President Duterte admitted he fell ill on board the plane. A few days after he arrived in Manila, President Duterte publicly admitted he had another bout of severe migraine that made him puke while airborne. This was to explain why he was not able to move around and mingle with fellow passengers on board the commercial flight of the Philippine Airlines from Seoul.

The 73-year-old President Duterte though reassured the Filipino people there was nothing serious in this latest episode of vomiting related to his existing ailments. Before his election in May, the former Davao City Mayor admitted to be suffering from four illnesses – Buerger’s disease, Barrett’s esophagus, a respiratory infection and a slipped disc – all of which were allegedly not fatal. Buerger’s Disease is an inflammation of blood vessels, mostly in the limbs, that has been traced to smoking.

Last year, it was Vice President Leni Robredo who led the flag-raising ceremonies for the Independence Day traditionally held in front of the Dr. Jose Rizal monument in Luneta. This was after President Duterte failed to attend because as he was reportedly “not feeling well.” It was Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano who joined Vice President Robredo at the Luneta rites.

Cayetano explained President Duterte could not attend after apparently getting exhausted from visiting wounded soldiers in Cagayan de Oro City before flying to Villamor Airbase to honor the Marines who died in the Marawi siege last year.

By this time, the Chief Executive has taken full rest and perhaps refreshed after spending a weekend break with his family at his home in Davao City. So it would be safe to assume President Duterte would this year be able to lead the observance of the 120th Independence Day anniversary.

On the eve of the Independence Day anniversary, President Duterte is convening a Cabinet meeting at Malacañang Palace. A little birdie chirped to me the last item in the agenda of today’s Cabinet meeting – a discussion on “good manners and right conduct.” Actually, I was told, this item in the Cabinet agenda intends to remind the “protocol” that must be observed by all Cabinet Secretaries and other officials invited to meetings at the Palace.

It has been observed that every time the President stands up to relieve himself, Cabinet officials “ambush” him on the way out of the conference room. Apparently, Cabinet officials who cannot get or cannot wait for audience or official appointment takes the opportunity to buttonhole the President.

The President has been vocal in his policy he does not interfere in the works of his Cabinet Secretaries. “See me in my office,” the President quotes himself telling all officials, including the Cabinet, wanting to talk or meet with him. The President repeated the same last week in his latest extemporaneous speech last Friday. Whoever among the Palace officials included “good manners and right conduct” in today’s Cabinet agenda might have picked up from the latest presidential cues.

The Cabinet Secretariat was tasked to make sure the latest Palace “protocols” are followed and complied with.