Friday, August 03, 2007 Traders, energy officials to discuss power issues
CONCERNED that more power outages would adversely affect the industry, local businessmen are calling a meeting with the Department of Energy (DOE) to find out the country's real energy situation.
"(The brownouts are) not yet affecting our businesses, not now but it might. We're now very concerned, we want to know the real score," Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) chairman Donald Dee told Philexport News and Features.
Dee said businessmen were shocked by the recent turn of events. "Last Wednesday, there was a brownout, we thought there were just a tripping. Then, the President (Arroyo) got involved. Transco (National Transmission Corporation) said there would be two to three-hour brownouts in areas. That is already a different thing."
He said various measures have to be undertaken immediately to address the power supply problem because this would affect the various industries and the economy in the long term.
"It's affecting our businesses so what should we do because we're going to lose jobs in the process. The garments and textile industry had been already wiped out because of the high power rate problem," Dee said,
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has identified the amendment to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) for open access and more competition among the proposed laws that she wants Congress to enact.
The House has tapped former energy secretary Raphael Lotilla to serve as its adviser on Epira amendments. It hopes to enact the measure before Christmas.
Dee said the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) is creating a super body of energy experts led by former energy chief Francisco Viray to map out doable measures to resolve the complicated issues affecting the power industry.
"Open access is required to achieve a reasonable rate. Thus, we need to do something to facilitate new investments into the energy sector," he said.
To privatize the generating capacity, Dee said there is a need to assure investors that the power they will generate has significant market.
Meanwhile, Dee noted that businesses are implementing an energy conservation program proven to be very effective in generating huge savings during the 1980s.
The NCC is also expanding the Manila Electric Company's customers' choice program and getting the full support of National Power Corporation to achieve a reasonable arrangement later this year.
The 2007 World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked the Philippines 45th out of 55 countries due mainly to its inability to address structural issues such as infrastructure, state efficiency and education. (Danielle Venz/Philexport News and Features/Sunnex)
