Nagkaisa blames IPERA for looming power crisis

CEBU, Philippines -  An official of the labor coalition, Nagkaisa, believes that the looming power crisis in the country will not be solved by Congress giving emergency power to President Benigno Aquino III.

The coalition is of the opinion that the expected crisis is a “cruel outcome of a bad policy under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act” which no amount of emergency power from Congress could reverse.

The group, in a statement, said it is not common for ordinary workers to comment on techno-economic aspects of the power industry.

 “The high cost of power in the country is making the lives of ordinary workers more miserable,” the statement said.

 According to Dennis Derige, spokesperson for Partido Manggagawa in Cebu and one of the convenors of Nagkaisa-Cebu,  “this quick-fix solution via an emergency power to address a decade-old problems of escalating rates and diminishing supply reignited labor’s apprehension that once again, a power crisis is being transformed into business opportunity for the private sector.”

 Derige was referring to the Interruptible Load Program and power contracting being pursued through a joint resolution in Congress that would grant the president emergency powers to address the expected power shortage in 2015.

Derige said the ILP can be pursued by the Department of Energy even without the president exercising emergency powers because it is merely a demand-side management issue and not production of additional generating capacity as required under Section 71 of EPIRA.  

“Likewise, the foreign and privately-operated National Grid Corporation must first be made to account for its primary responsibility to secure reliable supply, including sufficient reserve capacities,” said  Derige.

 The group explained that the ILP is a mode of utilizing standby power or embedded generating capacity available in several establishments such as malls and commercial buildings.

In November 28, a nationwide protest against emergency power was launched. In Cebu, the   POWER FOR PEOPLE-Cebu hold a synchronized actions in eight designated points.

A simultaneous streamer hanging and noise barrage were conducted by the members of Ecowaste Coalition, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Sanlakas, and its allied organizations. They were calling the people to oppose the passing of a law giving emergency powers to the president. (FREEMAN)