Press Release by: Mindanao Development
Authority (MinDA)
DAVAO
CITY, May 07, (PIA) - - Acting
on President Benigno Aquino’s directive to address the power crisis in
Mindanao, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Board of Directors held a
special meeting to formally support the creation of a Mindanao Power Monitoring
Committee (MPMC) and one-stop shop processing center (OSSPC).
MPMC and the OSSPC are two of the
action points identified by President Benigno Aquino III during the Mindanao
Power Summit last month. MPMC will be responsible for providing outright
information to the people of Mindanao regarding the energy and power situation
including, but not limited to, supply and price levels.
The committee will also spearhead
creation of a technical team to look into the viability of the Mindanao Power
Summit recommendations, including the OSSPC. It is instructed to meet regularly
to monitor the crisis and its impacts, and to directly submit reports to the
President.
“We are grateful to the President
for the time and effort he exerted to reach out to the people of Mindanao and
for providing an opportunity for various sectors to be heard on the urgent
issue of power,” MinDA Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino said.
MPMC will be chaired by MinDA and
composed of representatives from DOE, Mindanao Electric Power Alliance, PCCI
Mindanao, electric cooperatives, LGUs, and civil society organizations. The
creation of this committee forms part of the government’s commitment to resolve
the Mindanao power crisis.
Establishment of the OSSPC, similar
to the one-stop shops of DTI, will help fast track processing of applications
for new generation capacities in Mindanao.
The main goal is to be able to
complete set-up of small hydro plants within 10 months to one year. Awarding of
service contracts for hydro project applications currently takes years to be
processed.
“We should put a timeframe to the
application process; maximum should be six months,” said MinDA Board Member
Vicente Lao, president of the Mindanao Energy Power Alliance.
The MinDA board agreed to conduct a
preliminary assessment of the existing process to identify bottlenecks and
areas for improvement in the setting up of the OSSPC. Recommendations derived
from the assessment will be incorporated into the mandate to be issued by
Malacañang. (JPA/MinDA/PIA9-ZBST)
