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Senate probe sought on Western Visayas power crisis

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Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Two senators on Monday called for a Senate inquiry into recent power outages in Western Visayas.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/business/01/08/24/ngcp-hints-funding-adequate-as-maharlika-entry-floated">Maharlika to invest in NGCP? Grid operator says &#x27;funding never an issue&#x27;</a></li></ul>Sen. Francis Tolentino has filed a resolution urging the Committee on Energy to investigate the &quot;continuous blackouts in Iloilo, following the recent power outage in Western Visayas.&quot; Tolentino also urged the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to find “a more sustainable solution to the energy supply in the region.”<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2921019" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>He said widespread power disruption compromises productivity in the region. Sen. Risa Hontiveros also filed a similar resolution calling for an “extensive” inquiry into the recent power outage that affected households throughout Panay and Guimaras, amid reports of inaction and lack of real-time information from NGCP.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/05/24/marcos-orders-swift-reset-of-ngcp-rates-after-blackout">Marcos orders swift reset of NGCP rates after Panay power outage</a></li></ul>“Considering that past investigations and probes have not yielded palpable results, an even more comprehensive, thorough, and extensive examination needs to be conducted,” she said in her resolution.She said the review should include NGCP&#x27;s concession agreement and congressional franchise if the Senate finds gross negligence and incompetence.Sen. Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate energy committee, previously said that NGCP could lose its franchise over the power outage. Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian also called out the NGCP for the power outage in the region. &quot;Hindi ito ang kauna-unahang isyu ng NGCP... Base sa mga initial reports at sarili namin research, dalawa ang mag responsibilidad — &#x27;yong power plant na nag-unplanned outage (Panay Energy Development Corp.) at NGCP dahil hindi sila ng manual load dropping kaya buong sistema ang nag collapse at nagkaroon ng blackout sa buong Panay Island,&quot; said Gatchalian.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/06/24/ngcp-says-it-followed-protocol-as-panay-blackout-ends">NGCP says it followed protocol, as Panay blackout ends</a></li></ul><div>PARALLEL CALL FOR PROBE AT HOUSE</div>The call for a probe into the Western Visayas power crisis has also been made at the House of Representatives, where House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos of Ilocos Norte has filed a resolution for an investigation.Rep. Marcos is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s son and Speaker Martin Romualdez&#x27; nephew.Rep. Marcos said the House must &quot;revisit and review&quot; NGCP&#x27;s franchise and that the investigation &quot;should include the possible separation and transfer of the systems operation function from the NGCP to another entity&quot; that can do the job better.He added lawmakers should also discuss whether the Energy Regulatory Commission should be authorized to impose penalties on NGCP of P2 million for each day of &quot;violation or non-compliance with regulatory rules.&quot;

Two senators on Monday called for a Senate inquiry into recent power outages in Western Visayas.

Senate probe sought on Western Visayas power crisis

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Senate probe sought on Western Visayas power crisis

Willard Cheng,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 08, 2024 04:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

senator

senators

Risa Hontiveros

Francis Tolentino

Sherwin Gatchalian

NGCP

power

Wester Visayas

electricity

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