‘Bangsamoro to control power, water resources in Mindanao’

Business Mirror
by Jovee Marie de la Cruz - Oct 8, 2014 

A ZAMBOANGA City lawmaker on Wednesday urged the government peace panel and the House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee on the Bangsamoro basic law (BBL) to address the issue of control of water and power resources in the soon-to-be established Bangsamoro region.

Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino Rep. Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City, during a House hearing on BBL, said the proposed law does not provide clear guidelines on which agency will control the water and electricity sources from hydropower plants in Lake Lanao.

He also expressed concern that Mindanao will be at the “mercy” of Bangsamoro, saying the matter may result in chaos in the new juridical entity that will replace the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“The proposed law talks about certain exclusive powers of the Bangsamoro government, such as over power generation, transmission and distribution. That’s why I think many of the congressmen inside and outside the [proposed] Bangsamoro [area] are now taking a closer look at the BBL because it will not only affect the people and residents of the Bangsamoro, but also people outside of the Bangsamoro, the entire Mindanao,” Lobregat said.

Lake Lanao is the source of Agus hydroelectric plants, where Agus 1 in Marawi City has a generating capacity of 80 megawatts, while Agus 2 in Saguiran, Lanao del Sur, has a capacity of 200 MW.

Under House Bill 4994, or the proposed BBL, the so-called inter-governmental relations is the one that will decide during a crisis situation in Bangsamoro region.

“I could not help…historically, Mindanao enjoys low power rates, and we will depend on intergovernmental relations. Who will decide? The entire Mindanao will be at the mercy of Bangsamoro. DOE [Department of Energy] was not consulted, not on Lake Lanao and not on electricity? What is the government agency that will regulate?” Lobregat asked.

He said Mindanao, which is enjoying cheaper power rates because of Agus-Pulangi hydropower complex, will be affected if the new government will establish new power plants and take control of the operations of existing and new plants.

Under the bill, the Bangsamoro government shall have authority to regulate power generation, transmission and distribution operating exclusively in the Bangsamoro and not connected to the national transmission grid. source