CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - It’s definite… the President is already calling a special session of Congress to tackle the worsening power situation in the country, according to Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez, 2nd District of Cagayan de Oro.
In a press statement here this afternoon, Rodriguez said the special session, which is slated on Wednesday, March 10, seeks to authorize the government to find new sources of power in combating the energy crisis that has hit the country, particularly Mindanao for the past four months.
“I had to first propose that Section 71 of the Electricity Power and Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) be invoked over the energy crisis, while the other congressmen and senators were not interested because they are not from Mindanao,” he said.
He assured, it is never giving any emergency power to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, but mere power relating the energy crisis. It is neither power under martial law, he further said.
Section 71 of the EPIRA law states that “upon the determination by the President of the Philippines of an imminent shortage of the supply of electricity, Congress may authorize, through a joint resolution, the establishment of additional generating capacity under such terms and conditions as it may approve.”
As this developed, Rodriguez has called on all Mindanaonons to prod their respective congressional representatives to attend the special session on March 10, this year.
“I am from Mindanao. We are already suffering from five hour- brownouts every day, especially in Cagayan de Oro. Therefore, we should be the one to demand that there should be action. Otherwise, we will lose so much in our households and businesses,” Rodriguez stated.
Rodriguez expects necessary funds are immediately appropriated to enable the government to rent or lease and deploy Luzon-based power barges to Mindanao, operate diesel plants, such as the Iligan Power Plant, and other privately-owned power generators to solve the power crisis in Mindanao soonest possible.
Furthermore, he called on the Mindanaonons to be vigilant so that the funds should be used only for the rightful purposes, not for any political intentions.
On the apprehension that the President abuses her power in the process, Rodriguez pointed out that “Congress will set the terms and conditions, under which no transaction should be made without proper bidding, all the consumer groups must be represent to monitor all the procedures to avoid corruption,” he assured.
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