by Sheila Covarrubias
ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 10, (PIA) - - Top officials
from the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Electrification Administration
(NEA) in Manila are arriving in Zamboanga City today, May 10, to meet with
concerned stakeholders relative to power issues and its possible solutions.
DOE
Undersecretary Atty. Josefina Patricia Magpale-Asirit and NEA Administrator
Edita Bueno have accepted Mayor Lobregat’s invitation to come to the city to
personally tackle power woes that have greatly affected residents of Zamboanga.
While
the power crisis is affecting entire Mindanao, Mayor Lobregat said Zamboanga
City has a unique situation which requires DOE, NEA and other related agencies
to come to the city to meet with all sectors concerned and make necessary
interventions.
The
meeting today is set at 2pm at the City Hall Conference room and will start
with the rationale of the meeting/dialogue by Mayor Lobregat and acknowledgement
of participants by Assistant City Planning Officer Engr. Rodrigo Sicat.
Atty.
Asirit and Administrator Bueno will make a presentation on Mindanao Power
Situation with focus on Zamboanga City while ZAMCELCO officials will present
additional information on the Zamboanga power situation.
Expected
participants in the meeting are officials from the Zamboanga City Electric
Cooperative (ZAMCELCO), City Council members and other city officials and
representatives from various sectors that include the business group,
industrial group, employers’ group, academe, consumers’ group, Urban Poor and
Homeowners’ Association and many others.
Congresspersons
Beng Climaco of District I and Erbie Fabian of District II are also expected to
participate in the dialogue.
It
is recalled that on March 17, Mayor Lobregat convened power stakeholders in the
city to discuss the effects of the rotating brownouts that Zamboanga City is
experiencing and to explore courses of action that would address the power
problem.
The
meeting tackled the power situation in Mindanao and the numerous steps being
undertaken to resolve the issue that include the Zamcelco contract with the
Therma Marine Inc. (TMI), the Interruptable Load Program (ILP) and the Time of
Use (TOU) schemes initiated by the business and industrial groups and other
medium term solutions. Also discussed was the DOE briefing for Mindanao
legislators relative to the power problem and the possible holding of a high
level meeting concerning the power issue with President Aquino presiding the
forum soon.
On
April 13, the Mindanao Power Summit was held in Davao City with Pres. Aquino
gracing the occasion. Mayor Lobregat together with Cong. Climaco, who briefed Summit
participants about Mindanao Legislative Energy Measures and other Zamboanga
stakeholders, attended the summit.
During
the Summit, Mayor Lobregat officially submitted a manifesto of Zamboanga power
stakeholders containing the issues, concerns and proposed solutions to the
Zamboanga power situation.
Today’s
meeting is also in addition to the mayor’s urgent request to Energy Secretary
Jose Rene Almendras to increase load allocation and dispatch of power to
Zamboanga City through ZAMCELCO citing provisions of Republic Act 7639 in the
wake of the worsening power situation in Mindanao.
The
chief executive wrote Sec. Almendras April 15 where he stressed that Zamboanga
City is at the end of the power loop and is experiencing 5-hour brownouts a
day, making it one of the hardest hit areas in Mindanao. (JPA/SC/CIO/PIA9-ZBST)
