Friday, August 19, 2005
Lawmakers back emergency powers proposal for Arroyo
MANILA -- Senators and congressmen are one in opposing the proposal to grant President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo special powers to address the looming crisis brought about by the high oil prices.
"Pray tell me, Lotilla (Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla), why in our democracy you want a fascist model for emergency powers. You want to accelerate Arroyo's ouster?" Senator Joker Arroyo was among the lawmakers who reacted to the emergency powers proposal.
Senator Arroyo said the proposal to bestow emergency powers to President Arroyo to solve the looming oil crisis is a "Hyatt 10 in disguise."
The senator wondered by Lotilla, one of the President's economic managers, would choose to pattern a proposal after a Marcos edict.
Senator Arroyo said Malacañang and the Department of Energy must determine first what the oil inventory is at this point, second, be reminded that the last time Congress granted emergency powers, it resulted in notorious independent power producers (IPP) contracts and thirdly, Secretary Lotilla should be told that his scale model for emergency powers was a Marcos edict during the dictatorship regime.
The senator said the DOE must answer first if the country has enough fuel reserves to last up to 120 days because by knowing so, the country will not be caught flat-footed in case of emergency.
The senator said the energy department's primary duty is to monitor the country's day-to-day oil inventory and if they cannot answer the question, then the "DOE, in its blissful ignorance, has no reason to urge for extraordinary powers for the President."
The energy department must be reminded too that the last time Congress granted emergency powers, it resulted in "notorious IPP contracts."
"IPP put up generating plants and the Napocor (National Power Corporation), in onerous one-sided contracts, agreed to buy and pay for all the electricity they generated whether the consumers needed them or not. The result is a P500 billion loss to Napocor, which the taxpayers are paying for and has contributed to our unsolvable debt problem. That is direct result of Posers for Emergency scams," Senator Arroyo said.
"There is no need for emergency powers because the President has enough powers," said Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who was tasked to implement gas rationing at the height of the energy crisis in the 1970s.
On the other hand, opposition Senator Aquilino Pimentel said no amount of emergency powers will help President Arroyo in cushioning the impact of the oil crisis, stressing that her resignation is still the best solution to solve the country's oil woes.
In the House of Representatives, House Minority Leader Francis Escudero said, "It would be hard to grant broad emergency powers to a President whose credibility and legitimacy are under question."
Representative Crispin Beltran called the proposal as "insane."
"It could be used not to manage the oil crisis but to maneuver a prolonged Arroyo leadership in the midst of this political crisis," Gabriela Women's Partylist Representative Liza Maza said.
But unlike the other lawmakers, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago supported the proposal to bestow President Arroyo emergency powers to solve the looming oil crisis, stressing there is no other alternative.
Santiago said the country would not be able to survive economically as a people unless certain measures are taken "to alleviate the fact that the price of crude oil have hit a record high of US$67 per barrel."
"There is nothing we can do about this. Nobody in the international community has the power to control the prices, which are set by market forces," Santiago said.
"If that is the case, all we can do is try and review the effect on the poor, we are a Third World country, some of the poorest people of the world are living with us and so therefore, if it is necessary to give emergency powers to the President, as a senator I would vote in favor of emergency powers," she added.
Fuel rationing
Meanwhile, President Arroyo ordered fuel rationing Thursday in government offices and warned the public that "forceful and drastic steps" may be needed to cope with soaring world oil prices.
She told a meeting of exporters that she is also considering reinstating the four-day workweek for government offices to save on energy and cut costs.
The government saved around P144 million in electricity and fuel expenses when it implemented a shortened workweek in April and May.
Saying government should lead by example, Arroyo ordered government offices, government-owned and -controlled corporations and state universities and colleges to ration fuel for government vehicles, ensure at least 10 percent savings on power and fuel costs, and end the use of gas-guzzling vehicles.
"Forceful and drastic steps may be needed to prevent a worst-case scenario, and we will continue to need full public understanding and cooperation," she added.
Arroyo also ordered Trade and Investments Secretary Peter Favila to attract foreign investors to develop the country's geothermal resources to ease dependence on oil.
The Philippines, which imports nearly all its oil, bought a total 126 million barrels of oil last year for US$4.57 billion.
A third of the country's yearly electricity consumption is generated using oil-based fuel.
The President said all sectors and levels of society must share the burden, "especially the rich who can take it most--while we must work through all ample means to protect the poor." (JMR/AP/Sunnex)
(August 19, 2005 issue)
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