Business World Online
Posted on April 20, 2012 07:02:48 PM
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Business leaders in Mindanao want another dialogue with President Benigno S. C. Aquino, III hoping it would result in a comprehensive plan that would address the power crisis in Mindanao.
Ricardo C. Juliano, vice-president for Mindanao of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that this was the call of the business sector after it expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as the President’s "weak solutions" in solving the inadequacy of the electric supply of the region.
"We really hope that the President would listen to us, and to have a real dialogue," he told BusinessWorld.
The power summit in Davao City held last April 13, he said, did not produce any substantive solution noting what President did was to "impose" the government’s stand that stakeholders in Mindanao should pay more in order to stop the rotating blackout.
He said the business sector was dismayed about the changes of the summit’s program that they failed to directly talk to the President and give their suggestions. "We never had a dialogue that is honest and straight," he said.
Mr. Juliano, who was at this city to conduct a series of consultations for the upcoming Mindanao Business Conference in August, said business leaders are asking for the government to give them the real figures and details on the financial state and conditions of the hydroelectric plants.
"There’s a lack of transparency," he said, referring to the government’s presentation in justifying the sale of the Agus and Pulangi hydroelectric plants. Mr. Juliano said they were made to understand that the sale is necessary to pay the standing debt of the state-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) amounting to at least P900 billion.
He said the business sector is asking the government why after the sale of its assets in Luzon and the Visayas, Napocor still has a huge debt. "Who’s subsidizing, who?" he asked, pointing out that there was no proper disclosure on details of the debt.
"We asked for the executive department to put the Mindanao Development Authority on board whenever there is transaction in these power plants," Mr. Juliano said. There was negligence, he claimed, on why hydroelectric plants are left with no proper maintenance in years hence deteriorating its capacities in delivering power supply.
Ranking officials of the Department of Energy in Metro Manila could not be contacted immediately by phone on Friday to respond to Mr. Juliano’s statements. In previous interviews in Davao, however, Energy undersecretary Josefina Patricia M. Asirit said privatization of hydroelectric plants in Mindanao is currently not a priority of the government in solving the Mindanao power shortage explaining the matter is up for lawmakers in Congress to decide. -- Darwin T. Wee
"We really hope that the President would listen to us, and to have a real dialogue," he told BusinessWorld.
The power summit in Davao City held last April 13, he said, did not produce any substantive solution noting what President did was to "impose" the government’s stand that stakeholders in Mindanao should pay more in order to stop the rotating blackout.
He said the business sector was dismayed about the changes of the summit’s program that they failed to directly talk to the President and give their suggestions. "We never had a dialogue that is honest and straight," he said.
Mr. Juliano, who was at this city to conduct a series of consultations for the upcoming Mindanao Business Conference in August, said business leaders are asking for the government to give them the real figures and details on the financial state and conditions of the hydroelectric plants.
"There’s a lack of transparency," he said, referring to the government’s presentation in justifying the sale of the Agus and Pulangi hydroelectric plants. Mr. Juliano said they were made to understand that the sale is necessary to pay the standing debt of the state-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) amounting to at least P900 billion.
He said the business sector is asking the government why after the sale of its assets in Luzon and the Visayas, Napocor still has a huge debt. "Who’s subsidizing, who?" he asked, pointing out that there was no proper disclosure on details of the debt.
"We asked for the executive department to put the Mindanao Development Authority on board whenever there is transaction in these power plants," Mr. Juliano said. There was negligence, he claimed, on why hydroelectric plants are left with no proper maintenance in years hence deteriorating its capacities in delivering power supply.
Ranking officials of the Department of Energy in Metro Manila could not be contacted immediately by phone on Friday to respond to Mr. Juliano’s statements. In previous interviews in Davao, however, Energy undersecretary Josefina Patricia M. Asirit said privatization of hydroelectric plants in Mindanao is currently not a priority of the government in solving the Mindanao power shortage explaining the matter is up for lawmakers in Congress to decide. -- Darwin T. Wee
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