Danessa
Rivera- May 2, 2020 - 12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing new measures in the
energy industry once the enhanced community quarantine is lifted in Metro
Manila and other areas in the country.
In a text
message yesterday, DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said these measures are being put
in place to meet energy demands during the “new normal.”
“We need
to make sure that energy must be sufficient to support the demand in restarting
the economy,” he said.
The
agency is working with industry players to adapt to the new normal
post-quarantine.
“All
hands of the industry players must be on deck to make it happen. We need to set
the working standard or protocol for the new normal. Health protocol must be
observed by all,” Cusi said.
President
Duterte placed Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine on March 16, while
other regions with high number of coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases
followed suit.
The
quarantine was supposed to end on April 12, but was extended to April 30 and
then May 15.
The
lockdown has driven power demand to drop by around 30 percent—29 percent for
Luzon, 32 percent for Visayas, and 42 percent in Mindanao, Cusi said in an
interview with ANC’s Headstart.
This
meant the entire country had more than enough supply during the quarantine
period.
However,
once the quarantine period is lifted, the DOE expects an increase in power
demand as more businesses and industries resume operations.
“For
power, after lockdown or (quarantine), there will be an increase in demand for
power because everybody would like to restart. We just have to be ready for
that. We are preparing for post-(quarantine),” Cusi said.
Part of
the post-quarantine measure being worked out are changes in certain rules and
amendments in some to navigate around the new normal, according to the DOE
chief.
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