ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines – Desperation over the seemingly interminable power outages has driven more and more residents of this southern city to bite the bullet, as they expressed willingness to shell out extra pesos just to end their power woes that have pushed businesses closer to bankruptcy.
Agustin Graciano Jr., president of the Federated Member Consumer Electrification Committee (FMCEC), representing the 114,000 consumer members of the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco), initiated the call on the government to arrest their worsening power problem.
Even members of the media community have linked up arms with the business sector and other concerned quarters in pressing the government to take decisive steps to end the daily blackouts, which began last February and would possibly last until yearend.
“The daily blackouts have resulted in slack business and financial losses to most establishments in Zamboanga City due to increased operating costs arising from the use of generators,” said Manuel Lacastesantos, president of the Zamboanga Press Club and manager of local stations of RPN9 and dxXX.
“If the problem is not addressed immediately, businesses in the city would continue to incur losses and eventual closure by those who could not withstand the onslaught of this hostile economic environment, maybe some of them even closing,” Lacastesantos said.
He cited as example the television and radio stations he work for, saying their power bills averaged P45,000 a month before the advent of the blackouts.
Lacastesantos said the broadcast networks’ monthly expenses for their power requirements more than doubled owing to the use of generators, which run on expensive diesel fuel.
Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on Mindanao affairs and concurrent chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority, has admitted that power interruptions in the South might continue until December, when water volumes in the dams that generate electricity are expected to reach normal levels, and hydropower facilities could operate at full capacities.
Although the onset of the rainy season has been felt in Mindanao, Dureza said the precipitation was still insufficient to raise the water levels in the dams and lakes to operate the power plants and generate sufficient electricity.
The good news though was the blackouts have been dramatically shortened from 11 hours to only three to five hours daily.