Saturday, August 16, 2008 Address power crisis, groups ask By Nancy R. Cudis Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE business chambers in the Visayas urgently requested President Gloria Arroyo, through the Department of Energy (DOE), to do a “timely action” on measures that would immediately address the power crisis in the region.
The 16 active chambers in Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas proposed that Arroyo grant the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) a permit to start its commercial operations in the Visayas.
WESM, run by the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC), works like a stock market for buyers and sellers to trade electricity as a commodity, with prices based on the actual use and availability.
WESM was supposed to start its commercial operations in the Visayas earlier this year but it was deferred by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, citing that WESM, although is “technically prepared” to operate, still has inadequate power resources, both in transmission and in the generation aspects.
Majority of the resolutions drafted and consolidated by the 16 active chambers in the Visayas during the Chamber Management Meeting last Thursday were on power and energy concerns.
During the 17th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC) yesterday, they were approved and passed on to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) for review and approval before they will be submitted to the National Government for consideration in policy-making.
The chambers also asked Arroyo to approve the Time of Use (ToU) rates for Visayan Electric Co.
Under the ToU scheme, industries may have to shift production hours during off-peak periods, when power cost and demand are lower.
Part of the resolution also urged the DOE to require all electric cooperatives to provide for free transformers and meters to their clients and to reimburse those who were made to pay for them.
The group also urged Arroyo to order the DOE to fast track the implementation of the National Biofuels Program, under which the blending of bioethanol fuel with gasoline will be observed.
As for infrastructure, the Visayas chambers called on the government to effect the rehabilitation and expansion of the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City and the installation and maintenance of lighting and navigational aids along the San Juanico Strait.
The local business groups, though, lauded Arroyo for the implementation of various road projects in Cebu.
The Visayas chambers also called on the government “to seriously and honestly implement and carry electoral reforms, such as computerization of election returns, aimed to eliminate vote padding and prevent other electoral fraud.”
They also urged the government to direct its efforts and resources in solving the existing rice problem and to support the campaign for massive public and private investments in food production.
To fund the local chambers’ small and medium enterprise development and promotion programs and services, they asked the National Government to endorse the proposition that a certain percentage of the net revenues of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. be channeled to them.
In the legislation side, they asked for a review of the Juvenile Delinquency Act and Bouncing Check Law and for the government to come up with a resolution “vehemently opposing the extension” of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.
However, a Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry official said that they are requesting the government to consider their earlier appeal for a review of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
