Mindanao stakeholders prepare for Power Summit in November

Mindanao stakeholders prepare for Power Summit in November

by Prix D. Banzon

Davao City (2 September) — After series of consultations in the different areas of Mindanao, the Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) held a gathering of key leaders in the island to finalize the agenda for the Power Summit that will be held in November this year.

MinBC executive director Jason Magnaye said an extensive discussion will be held during the Summit with regards the looming power crisis in Mindanao.

But he said we are now feeling the crisis considering that the suppose to be 13.1 percent power reserve during off peak to ensure continuous supply of power dropped to 1 percent. “It has to have a standby reserve so that when the plant will bog down, we are ably supplied with power because of the reserve,” he said.

Citing a medium term plan, Magnaye said within the five years period starting from 2009, the power deficit in 2014 is pegged at 512 megawatts. The study presented by the Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. during the recent consultation revealed that deficit in 2014 is at 484 megawatts. Both data showed a deficit in the next few years.

But with the low reserve the region is getting, it will already be affected by 2010 and if this could not be fixed in record time there will be an overload resulting to trip off, he said.

“Although Mindanao is better off than in Luzon and Visayas where cost of power is more expensive with the Visayas already experiencing 10-hour brownout, we do not want to reach that point that is why we are trying to find ways to avert the power crisis,” he said.

The issue on securing the transmission lines was also tackled and Magnaye said there is a need to strengthen collaboration in the communities of Lanao, Bukidnon, Cotabato and Davao where these lines traverse. We need to help the National Power Corporation by providing information on suspicious activities within these areas so that necessary actions will immediately be made, he said.

The Napocor still need to finish the work of the toppled power lines now undergoing repair and any information would be of help to the military and the local government unit.

Meanwhile he said the power generation in Mindanao accounts to 80 percent being generated in Northern Mindanao and only 20 percent in Southern Mindanao but 51 percent of what Northern Mindanao is generating is consumed by Southern Mindanao while the remaining 49 percent is distributed to the rest of Mindanao.

And with the increasing investments locating in the Davao Region as stressed by the Board of Investment, the demand of power supply is increasing, he said.

Meanwhile, one participant of the consultation, Samal City administrator Cleto Gales, Jr. said that the power issue during the Mindanao Coalition for Transparent Accountable Governance was the highlight of the activity even as he said that industry players are looking at involving the communities for power generation projects. This will ensure that as co-owner of the projects their will be utmost concern and protection from the residents. Possible sites of these projects are in areas where there are no investors wanting to locate, he said.

The MCTAG event was capped with the sponsored event of the MinBC and The Asia Foundation on the Forum with the Presidentiables on Thursday, August 27, 2009 at the Grand Regal Hotel where the resource persons were asked to prsent their insights on the power crisis affecting Mindanao.

Both Senators Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda said there is a need to review, amend or repeal some provisions of the EPIRA Law to make it more relevant even as Escudero said that with the privatization of the assets of the National Power Corporation there has to be provision for the government to check and monitor in areas that need to be looked at as well as the construction of quality generating plants. Legarda also said that with Mindanao having vast areas of land could perhaps tap communities and involve the residents on projects that would generate clean energy.

Magnaye however said that they are still hopeful that the two Senators would take immediate steps in looking at existing policies to make it more relevant in the implementation of power programs and projects and a more friendly environment for new businesses on energy.

Joining Senators Escudero and Legarda was Nicanor Perlas while the rest of the Presidentiables failed to come due to conflict in schedule. The presidentiables were asked to present their takes about Mindanao on relevant issues. Aside from power they were asked to state their concern on agri-fishery, business, education, indegenous peoples, moro, women and youth affecting the island or a national policy that would directly affect the island.

In a brief message of Asia Foundation country representative Steven Rood, Ph.D. for Philippines and Pacific Island Nations Regionl Advisor for Local Governance he said that the Forum would allow the concerns of Mindanao be heard by policy makers and that Mindanao should also be given the experience to influence.

He said the peace and development efforts of Mindanao is essential for the development of the Philippines as a whole.

The Forum was joined by key players both in private and government sectors to include among others from Bukidnon, Zamboanga, Panabo, Island Garden City of Samal, Tagum City, Cagayan de Oro City, General Santos City. It had for its theme “PaglalaTAG 2015: Sustaining the Collaborative Counter Corruption Program of the Mindanao Coalition for Transparent Accountable Governance (MCTAG)”. (PIA)

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