Published May 1, 2017, 10:00 PM By
Myrna M. Velasco
http://business.mb.com.ph/2017/05/01/ngcp-urged-on-fence-protection-at-some-transmission-facilities/
With a fire-induced technical glitch
at its transmission network just recently, the National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines (NGCP) has been prodded anew to start installing “fence protection”
at its transmission facilities so slum dwellers would not be encroaching into
them.
Senate Committee on Energy Chairman
Sherwin T. Gatchalian renewed his call on the transmission concession firm
following that fire incident which downed its 230-kilovolt Biñan-Muntinlupa
transmission lines 1 and 2 along the metropolis’ Alabang exit.
While the incident had been faulted
on informal settlers, he opined that NGCP is critically responsible because of
the lack of buffer system or protection that could have isolated its facilities
from illegal occupants. He noted that this problem has been persisting since 2008-2009
– when he had a tiff with the NGCP spokesperson – over his proposal that the
company should be relocating the informal settlers and at least set up fence to
ensure non-intrusion at the sites of its transmission facilities. (MMV)
“When I was a mayor, I had big
argument with NGCP – I told them, they should put fence to protect their
facilities because invasion of slum dwellers could be uncontrollable…that was
2008-2009, but until now, nothing happened,” Gatchalian stressed.
He added “the point there is they’re
not doing anything, that’s my point…even in vacant lots, they’re not even
taking initiatives to put up the necessary fence protection. They should start
putting fences in their facilities, it will never end if they will not start
moving.”
The lawmaker emphasized that if the
transmission company will not act in setting up that ‘physical shield’ between
its facilities and the urban communities, there will come a time that this
dilemma would turn wayward and would already be impossible to manage, especially
in Metro Manila.
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