"Recipe for disaster"

CEBU, Philippines - A local government official has described privatization in government as a”recipe for disaster”.

Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, who recently visited Cebu City, said that privatizing vital industry of the government such as power will make the people suffer.

“Privatizing our vital industry especially power is a recipe for disaster,” Gatchalian said, in a press conference.

He cited the government’s privatization of our power transmission that is now being monopolized by a Chinese company. Gatchalian said that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines is controlled by foreigners.

“This is the biggest mistake of our government. Papaano na pagnagalit sila sa bansa natin? We will go back to dark ages. Hindi sana dapat full control, dapat may control pa rin ang government natin,” Gatchalian said.

NGCP won the franchise to operate and maintain the country’s transmission network in the biggest government auction conducted in an effort to reform the local power sector.

This 50-year franchise provides NGCP the right to operate, maintain, expand and further strengthen the country’s power transmission system. Gatchalian also pointed out the government’s mistake in selling Petron to San Miguel Corporation.

He said that by selling Petron, the Philippine government lost control of the oil industry because it is no longer a player.

“Hindi na tayo player in this industry. Wala nang control ang gobyerno natin dito,” he added.

According to him, the Philippines should have made Thailand as its model wherein they are not privatizing its vital industries. — (FREEMAN)